


Speed of Light

by Blackadder261, LazyLazer, Thanks_for_the_letters



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - High School, Anger, Anxiety, Bullying, Depression, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, F/F, Getting to Know Each Other, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Max has good grades - not a huge canon divergence, Mental Health Issues, Neglect, No Rewind Powers, Out of Character, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slow Burn, Trust Issues, Vortex Club, Warnings May Change, but only slightly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2019-10-14 04:01:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 61,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17501156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackadder261/pseuds/Blackadder261, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazyLazer/pseuds/LazyLazer, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thanks_for_the_letters/pseuds/Thanks_for_the_letters
Summary: A Life is Strange AU. Chloe attends Blackwell Academy, and her life is miserable. It's made even worse when Ms. Grant forces her to stay after school with a tutor, Max Caulfield. As Max chips away at Chloe's hard exterior, she learns disturbing things about Chloe's past and present.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, all! Welcome!
> 
> I'm trying something a little different this time. Have you ever been reading fanfiction and think to yourself, "You know, I'd really like to read a story about (insert topic here)," or "I would really like it if (series of events) happened,"? That's what happened here. I really like AUs because it's like no matter what happens, no matter what universe, these characters were meant to be together, and that is really precious. I've never written anything dark, and many of these topics are hard to discuss. I encourage you to read the tags; I don't want to upset anyone. 
> 
> I'm not sure how long this will be yet, but I have a lot that I want to write about. Thank you for your support! I'd love to hear from you, too! Feel free to comment with any thoughts.

Chloe Price walked into Blackwell Academy exhausted, annoyed, and ready to go back to the safety of her bedroom. Here, she had to deal with her horrible, privileged classmates and the alcoholic principal. Here, the stepdouche could watch her like a hawk. If she did one wrong thing, she would hear about it at home. Chloe had no freedom, but her room was her sanctuary. All she had to do was get through this day, and then she had the weekend. She looked forward to the idea of escaping for a few hours, either literally or chemically.

Chloe tried to avoid eye contact with anyone. She was able to pass Principal Wells’ office without incident. As she passed, she remembered the last conversation she had with the man. Something about trying harder and there wasn’t any room at Blackwell for people that don’t have sticks up their asses. Something like that.

She wasn’t able to get to the science room without being pushed into the lockers by Nathan Prescott. “Watch it, Price! Stupid bitch!” His posse laughed like hyenas circling their prey. Chloe rolled her eyes, trying to ignore them. She adjusted her hoodie and continued her trek. She wondered if they would ever tire of being assholes. They did this to her almost daily making her wonder if they would ever find a new way to entertain themselves. While most of her peers took this time to talk with friends or catch up on gossip, Chloe had no friends to meet with in the hallway. She used to be friends with a couple of them, but she didn’t have time for that shit anymore. Everybody leaves. Everybody lies, no exceptions.

She remembered when she was friends with Warren, Brooke, and even Victoria, but all of that was over now. Petty teenage shit and a dead father tended to ruin relationships. She occasionally thought it would be nice to confide in someone, but she didn’t want to see that look. The look everyone gave her because they knew her father was dead. They knew that she had changed but were tiptoeing around her wondering what would set her off, thinking she would cry or rage at them if they said the wrong thing. She couldn’t have a normal conversation with anyone so she just…stopped. Chloe found her seat in the science room. She rested her arms and head on the desk, hoping she could nap and no one would wake her during class.

The warning bell rang and students began flooding into the room. Chloe overheard several students talking about a party happening tonight. Chloe probably knew more about what was going on in the school than anyone else because no one bothered to censor themselves in front of her. It paid to be invisible. She knew that Dana Ward was probably pregnant. She knew that Victoria was trying to sabotage the relationship between Dana and Juliet Watson. She knew that Nathan provided the good drugs for parties. She knew everything.

Ms. Grant hushed the class. “Okay, settle down everyone. Yesterday we started discussing different types of chemical bonds. Let’s see how much you can remember.” Chloe rolled her eyes not bothering to lift her head from her arms. She heard Ms. Grant pacing the center aisle between the students’ tables.

“Miss Caulfield, can you please explain to the class, what is a covalent bond?”

The class was suddenly charged with anticipation. _Why do teachers like putting us on the spot like this? It makes everyone nervous, so they aren’t paying attention anymore._

Chloe heard the girl clear her throat. Max had always been in Chloe’s class, but she couldn’t remember having had a conversation with her. She was a quiet girl, kind of small and mousy. Geeky. She had friends, though, which was more than Chloe could say for herself. “A covalent bond is where two atoms share electrons.”

The class heaved an inaudible sigh of relief knowing they wouldn’t be called on because Max was correct. “Well done, Miss Caulfield. Mr. Graham, can you please provide an example of a covalent bond?”

Chloe yawned and switched sides of her head so she was facing the wall. Clearly they were not covering anything important today as this topic was so elementary. Napping protocol initiated. She closed her eyes and started to doze off.

* * *

 

“MISS PRICE!”

Chloe jolted upward from her position. Most of the class had already left their seats and were headed out the door. _Damn, how long have I been out?_

Chloe wiped the drool from her lip. “Enjoy your rest, Miss Price?” Ms. Grant asked.

 The question was rhetorical, but Chloe responded, her voice thick with sleep. “Yeah, it was great. Too short, though.” She yawned and stretched.

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that,” Ms. Grant said sarcastically. “I’m also sorry that you found the topic too boring to engage with the rest of the class.”

Chloe had started gathering her things, “It’s nothing against you. Swear it.”

“I’m flattered, Miss Price,” Ms. Grant stated flatly. Chloe admitted the woman had a knack for dishing out as much sass as she was given. “Chloe, I don’t want to be another person that lectures you. I know your record, I know how often you see Principal Wells, and I know how horrible that man can be.”

_She’s got that right._

“I just…I can’t let this go on. I know how smart you are, but your grades don’t show it, and you are constantly ignoring me or falling asleep in my class.”

“Wuh…what do you mean? I’m doing fine. I told you I was sorry.” Chloe stood, swing her backpack over her shoulder.

Ms. Grant placed her hands on her hips and pursed her lips.

Chloe ran a hand through her strawberry blonde hair and huffed. “I’ll work on it okay?”

“That’s not going to work this time, Chloe. We’ve talked about this twice this semester! I know that the last few years have not been easy for you, I can’t imagine what it’s like to lose a parent at your age. It’s my job to make sure you succeed, and I am going to do whatever it takes to make sure you do.”

Ms. Grant approached Chloe, “I’m here to help you.” Ms. Grant reached forward to touch Chloe’s shoulder. Chloe flinched and quickly moved to avoid Ms. Grant’s hand. After realizing what she’d done, Chloe quickly composed herself, hoping Ms. Grant didn’t notice her reaction. Chloe crossed her arms, angry and embarrassed. She was embarrassed this conversation was happening, and that she had shown weakness in front of a teacher. She had to get out of here before she exploded. She could feel the anger rising within her. “Don’t pretend to know what I’ve been through. I don’t need your pity. I’ll – I’ll do better. I gotta get to my next class. Thanks.” Chloe was shaking, her fists clenched.

Ms. Grant’s sympathetic face broke slightly, worried she was losing control of the situation. She didn’t expect Chloe to be happy, but she didn’t think Chloe would get so angry. Chloe shoved past her to escape, and just then noticed that she and Ms. Grant weren’t the only people in the room, making her freeze on the spot. Nervously, Max Caulfield smiled at Chloe and gave a small wave. Regaining her composure, Ms. Grant gestured toward Max, “Miss Price, have you met Miss Caulfield?”

Chloe took a deep breath, her anger almost boiling over at the sight of Max. Max saw the exchange between her and Ms. Grant meaning the whole school would probably know about it by the end of the day. Now Ms. Grant was asking inane questions. “I’ve only been in classes with her since kindergarten. Yeah, I know her,” Chloe said sharply.

Max started to fidget, obviously feeling uncomfortable. “Well, Max is one of the best students in the class, and I thought she could help you get caught up with your work. If she’s feeling generous, she might be able to help you with other courses as well.”

“I don’t need her. I can do it myself.” _I have to get out of here. Now!_

Chloe started making her way toward the door. “This is not up for debate. Starting today, after school, you’re going to meet Max in this room to catch up on your chemistry assignments.”

“Sorry, no can do. I gotta head home immediately after school. My step-“

“I’ve already discussed this with Mr. Madsen, and he thought it was an excellent idea.”

 _She WHAT?!_ Chloe was furious. _Does she understand what she’s done?_

“If you do not show up to these sessions, disciplinary actions will be taken. I really don’t want to do that to you. I know you can’t afford many slip ups.”

Chloe was cornered. If David was in on this too, there was definitely no escape. She didn’t need another reason to piss him off. Her eyes went from Ms. Grant to Max.

“S-so you’re trapping me? This is bullshit!”

“We’ll see you after school, Miss Price.”

Chloe stormed out of the room. “FUCK!” she screamed, slamming the classroom door behind her.

She moved as quickly as she could down the hallway toward the bathroom. She could hear students laughing, probably at her. She was seeing red.

Once in the bathroom, she was relieved to see it empty. She walked back to the alcove where the janitor’s cart was kept. “FUCK THIS PLACE!” She punched the stall several times with all of her might and then kicked the cart so it smashed into the wall.

_Why does everyone think they know what’s best for me? HOW DARE SHE BRING MY DAD INTO THIS? To top it all off, she went to David behind my back. He’s gonna love this…_

“Keep it together, Price,” she walked over to the sink, turned on the cold water and splashed it on her face. _Don’t they know everything that happens here at Blackwell has consequences? I guess I haven’t been doing the greatest job of keeping a low profile and skating by. Fine, I’ll play her fucking game. Hopefully stepdick will be in a good mood later._

Chloe looked at herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were red. She looked like shit. “You just gotta get through the day. Relax, you’re fine, you’re fine.” She continued chanting to herself until she believed it.

* * *

 At the end of the day, Chloe shuffled into Ms. Grant’s room, the annoyance from their earlier interaction rearing its head. Logically, she knew that she overreacted, but Ms. Grant had overstepped. Chloe mentally noted that she needed to wall off that feeling; she shouldn’t show her weaknesses. Reluctantly, she plopped into a chair in front of Ms. Grant’s desk.

“I apologize if I upset you this morning, Chloe.”

“It’s fine. Let’s just get this over with.”

With that, Max walked into the science room smiling, holding her books to her chest. She cautiously approached Chloe, gently setting her books down next to her on the table. “H-hey, Chloe. How was your day?”

Chloe swallowed the urge to snap at her. “Fantastic,” Chloe stated sardonically.

Max gulped and sat next to Chloe and began flipping through her books. “I’ll be back in 30 minutes to check on you. You had better still be here, Chloe,” Ms. Grant said. “Max, if you have any issues, come to the teacher’s lounge and let me know immediately.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. Max saw it, and Chloe was pleasantly surprised Max didn’t rat her out. Ms. Grant left the girls alone. Chloe placed her arms on the table and rested her head once more, facing away from Max.

“So uhh…it’s nice to officially meet you,” Max said. She sounded friendly enough, but Chloe was smart enough to know it was likely bullshit. She was probably going to go tell her friends lies about Chloe to earn favor with the popular kids. Chloe decided she should choose her words carefully. Chloe grunted in reply.

“Where do you want to start? Have you done any homework this semester?”

Chloe exhaled loudly and turned to face Max, “Listen. We aren’t going to do this. Just tell Ms. Grant that you did your best, you’ll get your volunteer credit or whatever the hell you’re getting from this, and we will move on. You won’t ever have to talk to me again. Then you can go tell all of your friends how fucked up I am, and everyone can feel bad for you because you had to spend a single second with me.”

Max furrowed her eyebrows. “I’m not here to get juicy gossip. I don’t care about that, and neither do my friends. We aren’t the Vortex Club.”

“Maybe not, but I won’t be anyone’s goddamn charity case.”

“I’m not getting anything for this, Chloe.”

“Psssht. There’s no such thing as a selfless act. Let’s not and you just say you did on your resume.”

“OR maybe I just enjoy doing this because I’m damn good at it!”

 “I don’t need your help.” Chloe stared into Max’s eyes. They were blue, filled with innocence. They were gentle but full of conviction. Chloe’s expression softened. Maybe Max was just an innocent bystander who was trying to help. Max didn’t know what trouble she was causing Chloe, and this wasn’t her idea.

“Look, I know what I’m doing, okay? I know this shit like the back of my hand. You don’t need to help me with it. If you want to sit here, that’s fine, but it’s a waste of time trying to help me.”

A spark flashed across Max’s eyes, and Chloe saw her gulp. “Prove it.”

“Excuse me?” Chloe’s eyes widened.

“Prove it. If you’re so good at this then do your work with me.”

They stared at each other, waiting for the other to show a sign of letting up. Chloe’s desire to lay into her with a barrage of insults flared, but extinguished quickly. Chloe laughed, and Max looked at her a little shocked.

“Wow. You’re a scrappy one, Caulfield. I dig it. Manipulating me like that.” She had to admit, she had some chops.

“…Did it work?” She cringed and giggled simultaneously. The tension between them had dissipated almost completely.

Chloe couldn’t help but smile at her. “I’m pretty impressed, but I really don’t want to do this. It’s not worth it. They are just looking for a reason to kick me out.”

“I think you’re worth it. Maybe we can prove them wrong.”

Chloe continued to soften. _Is this girl serious? She thinks_ I’m _worth it? Cute._

“I know we’ve never really talked. I’m not trying to invade your life, and we don’t have to be friends. I would really like to help you, though.”

“Why?”

“For helping me,” Max smiled widely.

Chloe squinted at her, “What are you talking about?”

“It’s really stupid,” Max giggled. She continued when she saw Chloe wasn’t going to let up. “Do you…remember that kid, Greg, from 4th grade?”

Chloe scratched her chin while she tried to remember. “Uuuuuh, no. Can’t say that I do.” _That was a good few blunts ago._

“I wish I could forget. I was so happy that he moved away that summer. Anyway, he was the one that bullied everyone, even Nathan Prescott.” Chloe still didn’t remember this boy, but Max continued. “I remember this one day he knocked into me making me spill my lunch on the floor. Then he started making fun of my freckles. You rushed up to him and shouted, ‘Leave her alone, you jerk!’ and shoved him back.” She seemed a bit hesitant with the last part of the story, “…and then he pushed you to turn you around and-“

“Gave me an atomic wedgie! Oh my god that was you?!”

Max laughed. “Yes, that was me. I’m so sorry about that.”

“Aw, dude. My crack was sore for like a week.”

“Oh, I bet. It looked painful. I am so sorry, but I also want to thank you. Do you remember what you did after he gave you the wedgie?”

“I…I gave you my lunch money.”

“That’s right. So, here I am Chloe Price. I’m doing something kind for someone who did something kind for me, no questions asked.”

“Why now?”

“Well…you scare me a little, so I never really had the balls to talk to you.”

Chloe snorted, “Okay, that’s fair. Sorry.”

“No, don’t apologize. When Ms. Grant asked me if I’d be interested, I was excited to finally have my chance.”

Chloe hesitated, but she had to ask. “Can I point out that this makes no sense? You’re going to help me by making me work? Doesn’t that mean I’m technically doing something for you? I’d much rather have like…a milkshake! Or cash!”

Max rolled her eyes, “Must you question everything?”

 _Yes._ Chloe stared at Max, not fully believing her motivation. Regardless, she was stuck here. If she improved her grades, it might help with other problems. She remembered it was best to lay low, don’t cause problems. Stay invisible.  She wasn’t really sure if Max could be trusted, but as long as they stuck to banter, she couldn’t hold anything against Chloe. _She said we don’t have to be friends._ Chloe had to admit it was kind of nice having a casual conversation with someone for a change.

“Okay. Fine. I’ll ‘let you help me,’” Chloe said making air quotes with her fingers. “What do I have to do to get you off my back, Caulfield?”

Max pulled out a worksheet that looked vaguely familiar, “Show me what you got, Price.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Welcome to chapter 2 of Speed of Light. I struggled hard with this, and I've been kind of afraid to post it. I recently had a conversation with ItsaVikingThing (Go read their work. It's great.) and they told me that it's always stressful for them to post a chapter because you don't know how it will be received. I am worried about exactly that for this chapter. I am so unsure of this, and I'm afraid I'm taking on too much. Just being honest. I was thinking of finding a beta simply because I want to make sure this makes sense and that it wasn't too much. Is Chloe's character right? She's kind of all over the place. Would a person going through trauma behave this way? Maybe the idea was good, but I didn't think it through enough....?? Yikes. You read, tell me what you think. If this is way off base and not okay, you let me know. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and thank you for all of your support so far! It was wonderful reading your comments. I'm so pleased I'm among friends!

The first worksheet assigned to them for the semester was about general lab safety. It was the same crap that they forced the students to do every year, so Chloe easily finished it without help. She slid the paper toward Max, “Okay. It’s done.”

With a smile, Max checked over Chloe’s answers. “Hmmm. ‘What should you do if you get a chemical on your hands?’ I’m pretty sure ‘LICK IT’ is not the right answer.” Max chuckled and slid the paper back to Chloe.

With a smirk, Chloe erased the original answer and wrote the correct one. She decided she liked making Max laugh. When she returned the paper, Max’s smiling face turned concerned. Chloe followed her gaze and saw that Max had noticed her oozing, bruised knuckles. They had been aching since her meltdown in the bathroom earlier in the day, but she hadn’t bothered to care for them. Chloe quickly pulled her hand back and shoved both hands into the pockets of her hoodie. She cleared her throat, “So are we done here then?”

Max’s eyes softened. “Y-yeah, this is good. I’ll give it to Ms. Grant.” Chloe picked up her things and bolted for the door. “Wait, Chloe!”

Chloe stopped but didn’t turn to face her. She was afraid if she turned around she would see the look she hated the most.

“D-did you want a ride home?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll see you Monday, then.”

“Bye.”

With that Chloe rushed out of the science room and down the hall into the September afternoon. She took a deep breath, relishing the comfortable weather. While her time with Max had been nice, and not as horrible as she expected, she was happy to be done. Now she could go chill in her room away from everyone. She decided to walk back instead of taking the bus to buy some more time. With any luck, her mother would be home to distract step douche, taking the focus off of her.

She put on her headphones and began her journey. She thought about her interaction with Max. The girl had surprised her. She didn’t seem fazed by Chloe despite the insults Chloe threw her way. Chloe believed she responded honestly, and her motivation was really sweet. Chloe had let her guard down a bit, and it felt really nice. She couldn’t remember the last time she had an actual conversation with someone. However, she was really embarrassed that Max saw her hand. She began to worry that Max might think she wanted attention. _She must think I’m a total psycho at this point. She saw me wig out with Ms. Grant, and she’s probably heard some shit about me already. I was a dick to her, and then I ran out on her without even saying thank you…and she was just being nice. Fucking great. Nice one, Price._

Chloe continued berating herself the rest of the way home. She had been stupid, but she decided it didn’t really matter. It’s not like they were going to be friends. Max had probably already forgotten about it.

She traipsed up the steps to the front door. Her mother’s car wasn’t in the driveway, but David was home. She put her key in the lock, turning it as quietly as possible. She opened the door just enough to slip in and closed it softly. She tiptoed toward the stairs.

“Stop right there, missy.”

She had been so close to her sanctuary. Chloe stopped in front of the stairs, took a deep breath, and turned to David. She kept her eyes downcast. Looking him in the eye could cause more trouble.

“So a teacher finally realized how pathetic you are? You’re an embarrassment, Chloe. That woman approached me _while I was working_ to ask if she could tutor you. You and I both know you’re beyond help, don’t we, Chloe?”

Chloe didn’t respond as he approached her. “What? Nothing to say?”

Chloe looked him in the eyes at this. “Fuck you,” she said. It slipped out of her mouth before she had a chance to catch it. Chloe braced herself as his hand slapped her face.

“You will not speak to me that way. If you embarrass me at work again, there will be consequences. Do you understand me?” Chloe didn’t respond and returned her gaze to the floor.

 “DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!”

“Yes.”

“Yes, _what_?”

“Yes, _sir_.”

“Now, get the hell out of my sight. I don’t want to see you for the rest of the weekend.”

With that, Chloe rushed up the stairs into her room, and slammed the door as hard as she could. She ran to her bed, grabbed a pillow, and screamed into it until her throat felt raw.

* * *

The first time Joyce had David over for dinner, Chloe knew she was going to have problems with him. Chloe sat across from her mom, David at the head of the table. Chloe shoved the pot roast around with her fork. She wasn’t a big fan of it, and as far as she knew, neither was her mother. She ate a bit of potato, the only good part of the dish, and scowled at her plate.

Joyce and David kept up conversation throughout the meal and didn’t really bother including Chloe. Joyce had this look in her eyes that she had seen in many of her female classmates. Joyce looked dazed, infatuated, and absolutely fucking ridiculous. Joyce batted her eyelashes and giggled at all of David’s stupid jokes. It was downright disgusting. She wanted to yell at her mom to get it together and stop acting like an idiot.

Chloe stabbed a piece of meat and shoved it into her mouth. David cleared his throat, his voice going deeper than when talking to Joyce. “Chloe, your mother tells me that you aren’t doing well in school.” Chloe swallowed and looked toward the man.

Chloe was taken aback. She just met this man, and the first full sentence he said to her was a sore spot between Chloe and her mom. “I don’t really see how that’s any of your business.”

David ignored the comment. “I’m all too familiar with your behavior. Staying out late, not doing your homework, trouble at school. I used to be just like you, and then my father shipped me off to military school. That’s the path you’re headed down, missy.”

Chloe looked up at David and then at her mother. “Mom…you fucking serious with this guy?” she asked gesturing toward him with her fork.

“Chloe! How many times have I told you not to use that language in this house?”

“Mom, this guy comes up in here, hardly says a word to me, and then starts lecturing me, and you’re just gonna let him?! He said ‘hi’ to me and suddenly he’s my fucking dad? Hell no, this is bullshit! Dad hasn’t even been gone that long, and the best you could find was this tool? Unbelievable.”

Chloe pushed herself away from the table, and began to storm away. Suddenly a strong hand locked itself around her forearm. Chloe turned around in shock. “You will NOT speak to your mother that way again, you hear?”

His viselike grip made Chloe wince. Chloe looked at Joyce, stunned, pleading for her help. Didn’t she see that he was hurting her? She tried to yank her arm away from him, but his grip tightened further with every move. “Do you understand me?”

“Yes, Jesus, dude! Get off of me!” She tried harder to yank her arm away but his hand stayed firm.

“You will respect your mother, and you will respect me.” With that he threw her arm away. Chloe looked at her mother, totally betrayed. She glanced away from Chloe and remained silent.

Chloe’s eyes began to flood with tears, so she ran upstairs. As she went she heard David say, “You see, Joyce? You just need to be firm with her. Show her who’s boss.” _How much had she told him?_

Chloe dreamt of her dad that night. She woke up crying. She rubbed the bruise on her forearm. How could her mom go from a man like her dad to the man Chloe had met tonight?

Chloe remained perplexed as the relationship continued. She didn’t get along with David, and stayed silent when he was around even though everything he said filled her with rage. He was a misogynist asshole who believed he was entitled to everything because he was in the military. When her mother announced he was moving in with them, Chloe ran as fast as her feet could take her. She ended up at the lighthouse, one of her dad’s favorite places, to calm down. She listened to the waves and convinced herself that everything would be okay, and that her mom would finally see the real David.

Things quickly became more hellish than Chloe could have imagined. David started small. He would call her names and lecture her, mostly when her mother was not around. Chloe tried to avoid being alone with him, but sometimes it was unavoidable. She came home late one afternoon because she was trying to avoid him, but that came with a new consequence. David smacked her so hard that it made her nose bleed. She begged and pleaded with her mother, trying to explain to her that he hit her, but Joyce would hear none of it. Chloe only tried talking to her a few times before she realized getting her to see the truth was futile. Joyce was always able to explain away her pain and bruises. “You just keep pushin’ him, Chloe!” and “Maybe if you’d follow the rules, you wouldn’t be punished!” became her favorite comebacks.

Chloe thought frequently that she should just get out of town. She could run away and never return to this shithole or see David ever again. But where could she go? She had no resources – no car, no money, no friends or family to run to. She was saving up, though. She’d been collecting change she found from the laundry or in the couch cushions. She did odd jobs for the town drug dealer, Frank, which paid her moderately well. She often wondered if Joyce would even miss her when she was gone.

Chloe had no one to go to and no one to trust. Unfortunately, David only became more violent as time went on, and Chloe was never sure what was going to set him off. He was smart about the hits he made as to not draw attention, focusing mainly on her torso. If her face was bruised, her mother assumed she had been fighting at school. This was never a thing that happened, but David had planted the idea in her mind. To survive, she had to suppress her personality, her thoughts, her emotions, everything, or David would use it as a reason to hurt her. She tried to follow his confusing rules until she could get away, but it didn’t matter; there was no pattern, no guessing what he might do next. She had to take it one day at a time, lay low, and hope she could handle what was in store.

* * *

Chloe kept to herself for the weekend, not that she had any other option. She did as instructed and stayed out of sight. She only went downstairs to find food and drinks when David was gone or asleep. Her mother asked her down for dinner, but she refused. She knew she should follow David’s orders if she didn’t want to meet the back of his hand. Her mother came to check on her a couple of times, but they didn’t have meaningful conversation. Most of her responses to her mother were one word answers these days. She would get high on the roof at night, put in her headphones, and get lost.

Unfortunately, Monday came quickly, as it always did. As Chloe walked into school, she remembered she had to stay after school with Max. The shame from Friday returned, but she made a mental note to apologize and thank Max for her time. She had an unfamiliar feeling as she thought about the encounter. She passed it off as misdirected anticipation; she just wanted to make sure she apologized.

She made her way to the chemistry room without a verbal assault from Prickscott and his goons, but they were looking at her and whispering. It was annoying, but highly preferred over a physical altercation. She sat in her usual spot, in the back of the class, and placed her head on her arms as per her routine. Suddenly, she felt a presence beside her. She looked over slowly to see Max Caulfield sitting beside her. Chloe looked at Max like she had lobsters crawling out of her ears. Their classmates made a few comments and Victoria actually grimaced at them.

Chloe struggled to find words. “Wh….what the fuck are you doing?” she whispered harshly.

Max was taking out her notebook from her backpack. She smiled at Chloe and said, “I’m here to keep you awake!”

Chloe frowned. “You’re here to fucking babysit me. Grant is taking this a bit too far, don’t you think?”

“No, no she didn’t ask me to do this. I just thought if you stayed awake the homework would be easier.”

“Uh huh,” Chloe didn’t believe it for a second.

“Really, she didn’t!”

Chloe rolled her eyes.

“And…maybe if you had some company, it wouldn’t be so hard to get through class.”

Chloe kept her voice low, “Everyone is staring.”

“They’ll get over it.”

“But they’re gonna start talking-“

Max huffed. “Chloe, if you really want me to go that badly I will.” Chloe gulped. Max clearly didn’t understand that associating with her was social suicide. “I know what you’re thinking. I already told you that I don’t care. I don’t care what everyone thinks, Chloe.”

Chloe gulped. She couldn’t look at Max. She stared at her lap and rubbed the back of her neck. “Fine. I’m sorry, it’s just that-“

“Chloe, relax. Do you want me to go?”

Chloe thought for a moment and shook her head.

“Okay, then I’m staying.”

Chloe stayed awake for that class, but she sure as hell didn’t focus. Max’s proximity to her and her willingness to associate with her was unsettling and made her anxious. There had to be a reason. Enough of this “I owe you” stuff. _Why is she doing this? What does she want from me? What is happening? You need to get control of this and fast._


	3. Chapter 3

As Chloe took her seat in the chemistry classroom that afternoon, Ms. Grant seemed very pleased. “Hi, Chloe. Glad you made it.”

Chloe nodded in response. “How do you like working with Max? I must say her influence is already showing. I saw she sat with you and kept you awake this morning.”

Chloe was annoyed with the comment, but she told herself she wouldn’t let it show. “It’s fine.”

Ms. Grant didn’t seem too bothered by her lack of response. “Well, thank you, Chloe. I think you’ll find that this is a good thing eventually.”

Chloe nodded again and took a seat. She pulled out her notebook and started a doodle. Ms. Grant approached her and placed the worksheet she finished last week on her desk. “Good work.” Ms. Grant left the room, apparently trusting that Chloe wasn’t going to run off.

Chloe stopped doodling and looked around anxiously, tapping her fingers on the table in front of her. She’d been thinking all day about what she needed to say to Max and how to say it. Max didn’t deserve a mouthful of Chloe’s clever insults. At least not yet.

Chloe watched as Max entered the room and closed the door softly behind her. She turned and smiled widely at Chloe. “Hey, how are you?” she asked making her way over to their table.

Chloe wasn’t going to answer that. It was such a stupid question that no one actually wanted the answer to. She shook her head and stated, “Max, I have something to say to you.”

As Max sat down, her smile turned concerned. “Is everything okay?”

“I uh…I just gotta say this. Thank you for your help last week. I’m sorry I ran out on you without thanking you.”

A small smile formed on Max’s lips, “Of course Chloe, it’s not a-“

“I’m not done.” Max nodded and turned her entire body toward Chloe, urging her to continue.

Chloe ran her hands through her hair. She didn’t want to sound harsh, but she didn’t know how else to ask. “I appreciate your help and all, but what the fuck was with today?”

She wasn’t looking Max in the eye, but she could sense her body stiffening. “W-what do you mean?”

Chloe huffed. “Why’d you sit with me?”

Max’s voice was soft. “I told you. I thought it would be helpful to you and our work here.”

“But all of a sudden you’re just fucking there and then everyone is looking at us. You said you don’t care, but how can you not? And last week, you’re just fucking there, smiling and being happy to meet me and help me even though I blew up at Grant. You tell me that you have some debt to repay and ah! You weren’t there and now you’re here…”

Chloe continued, rambling and restating the same thing in different ways. Max was kind of frightened at first, but as Chloe continued, she began nodding her head in understanding. “Wow, that probably didn’t make any sense.” Chloe turned her head toward the classroom windows and whispered to herself, “Price, you’re a goddamned idiot.”

Max wanted to reach out and touch her, but she saw how Chloe reacted when Ms. Grant did that and didn’t want to upset Chloe any more. She was clearly distraught. “You’re not an idiot, Chloe. I think I understand.”

“You…you do?”

“Yeah. I think you’re overwhelmed. I don’t think I’d really heard you speak before last week. I know you don’t really hang out with anyone. Then, you got forced into this situation without even being asked about it, where you have to talk to someone you’ve never spoken to. I’m so sorry. I didn’t even consider it might be overwhelming for you.”

Max watched Chloe look down at the floor. She could tell there were about a million thoughts flying through Chloe’s head. “It’s okay. I promise you. Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable? I can’t do much about this meeting after school thing, but I can move back to my original seat in class. Whatever you need me to do, I can do it.”

Talk about being overwhelmed. Truthfully, Chloe wasn’t sure what she wanted. All she knew is that she didn’t have any control over the situation. “Why? Why are you doing this, really? Don’t give me the ‘I owe you’ line again.”

“I…Chloe, look at me. Please.”

Chloe was hesitant, but she did as she was asked. Max could tell she was completely rigid.

“I am here because Ms. Grant asked me to be, and I accepted because I am good at school, and I wanted to help you. I  _ am _ being honest with you. I really  _ do _ feel like I owe you for that day. And I know how stupid that sounds, but I’m not going to forget a good deed.”

Chloe searched Max’s eyes. She saw the innocence again. They were so kind. She wanted to trust her so badly, but it was never a good idea. It’s how you get burned.

“I truly don’t have an ulterior motive. I’ll do whatever I can to prove it to you.” Chloe nodded at this and looked back at her shoes. She fidgeted and picked at her fingers.

“Can I ask you a couple of questions?” Max asked.

Chloe nodded.

“Would you like me to move back to my seat in class?”

Chloe considered for a moment but ultimately shook her head.

Max said, “If you change your mind at any point, just tell me. I’ll respect your decision.” Chloe nodded once again.

“How would you feel if we got to know each other a little better? To be clear, I don’t want to ‘get dirt on you’ or anything like that. I swear, if you hear anything you tell me from another person, you have permission to kick my ass.”

Chloe smirked, much to Max’s relief. She nodded once more.

Max smiled at her. “I’ll start. My name is Max Caulfield. I’m 16 years old. I’m in the photography program. I love taking pictures with my Polaroid camera, mostly of nature. Uuuuh…I play guitar. I like alternative music. I love watching anime and sci-fi movies. For fun, I play tabletop games with my friends-“

Chloe snorted. “Nerd.”

“Hey! I’ll have you know they’re a lot of fun. Have you ever played?”

“Nah, I’m not a nerd.”

Max crossed her arms in mock annoyance. “Well don’t knock it till you try it.” She was so happy that she got Chloe to talk and to smile. “Well, what about you? What does Chloe Price like to do?”

“Uuuuh well…I don’t really do a whole lot.”

“What’s one thing that you really enjoy? You know, when you’re off being so cool and awesome.”

“I guess I like drawing.”

“Cool! I’m surprised, I didn’t know you were artistic. Can I see some of your work?”

Chloe shook her head, “Maybe another time.”

Max nodded, “Do you draw anything in particular?”

“No, just whatever I feel like at the time.”

“I know what you mean. With my photography, I said I do mostly nature shots, but sometimes things just strike you.”

“Yeah.”

“What about music or movies?”

“Um, I like heavier music. Punk rock, metal, that kind of thing. I also like sci-fi. My favorite movie is Blade Runner.”

“I love that movie!” Max gave Chloe a skeptical look. “Are you sure there’s not a nerd hiding out in there somewhere?”

Chloe gave a small laugh. “Not a chance, Caulfield.”

“I don’t know. I think there might be.”

Chloe shook her head. “Nope.”

“We’ll see. Anyways, this was really nice. Remember, I know there is an ass kicking in store, so I promise I won’t share anything with anyone.”

“Good.” Chloe smiled.

“You want to get to work?”

“Sure.”

* * *

 

The next couple of weeks went by much the same way. Max would start conversations with Chloe every afternoon, and Chloe found that she really enjoyed getting to know Max. Chloe learned that Max loved waffles and pancakes, that she had seen Final Fantasy: The Spirits within (ugh) more times than she could count, and that she was actually an excellent photographer. Max shared some of her shots with Chloe from time to time to ask her opinion. Chloe would always tell her they were great, because they actually were.

Chloe realized how little she actually thought about things she herself was interested in. Her interests became less of a priority because of her home life. Her biggest interest was avoiding David. Of course, she couldn’t tell Max any of that, so it was difficult coming up with things that she liked. She disclosed to Max that she liked getting high because it made her feel relaxed. She listened to music A LOT, and told Max she was open to her suggestions. She told Max she used to skateboard, but she hadn’t in a really long time. Max suggested that she should get back into it because having the ability to skate is not something that should be wasted. Chloe was considering it.

On a Thursday afternoon in late September, Chloe was waiting for Max, who was later than normal, so Chloe began a drawing while she waited.

“Wowser, cool drawing!” Chloe jumped as she hadn’t heard Max enter the room.

Chloe quickly closed her notebook and set down her pencil. “It’s nothing.”

“Nuh-uh,” Max placed her hand on the notebook, “Can I…can I look at it?”

For a split second, Chloe panicked and thought about throwing away the entire notebook but thought it might look weird or suspicious. Plus, Max had kept her promise so far and had proved she was at least a little trustworthy. Chloe shrugged and crossed her arms, looking away from Max.

Chloe heard Max slide the notebook across the table and flip open the cover. After a few seconds, Max laughed. “So you’re into super heroes, huh?”

Chloe shrugged again, still not looking at Max. “Not really. Drawing them became a habit. It was just a stupid idea…”

“I don’t recognize her. Who is she?

“Her name is Spore.”

Max furrowed her eyebrows. “Huh! What’s her story? What can she do?”

“Well, she…wow this is really stupid.”

“Tell me, come on! I bet she’s really cool.”

“Uh…okay. Are you familiar with X-Men?”

Max rolled her eyes. “Of course.”

“Well, I’ve always liked the concept. There are people who have mutated genes giving them really cool powers, right? You have Rogue, Storm, Magneto, Professor X…all of their powers work out really well for them. What about the mutants who didn’t get such cool powers?”

“Like Jubilee?”

“Exactly! I agree that her power is kind of lame, but I’m thinking worse. We all have gene mutations right? And, until evolution gets its shit together, stupid mutations would be more common.”

Max looked at Chloe quizzically. “Okaaaaay.”

“Spore’s power is that she can create and spread mold spores, which isn’t at all useful in battle with other X-Men, right? Like…it would take days for any of the mold to grow. She could be good if, maybe, they were fighting had a serious mold allergy.”

“Overall, though, probably not gonna do much damage.”

“Right. So here we have Spore, the first of the RejeX-Men.”

Max laughed so hard at this she snorted. Chloe smiled and looked at her shoes. She stole a glance at Max, admiring her red cheeks and smile.

“That is so awesome! Yup, you’re totally not a nerd!”

Chloe feigned shock and placed her hand on her chest. “How DARE you?”

Max continued to giggle. “Do you have any others?”

“Nah. Well, a few, but Spore is my favorite. I imagine she’s pissed about her circumstances, but she knows how to kick some ass when she needs to.”

Max nods, “Hell yeah. I like that.” They smiled at each other for a few more seconds.

"I’m so happy I finally got to see a drawing. You’re really talented. Seriously, I would read that comic book.”

“Thanks.” Chloe continued to smile as she shoved her notebook back into her backpack. Now that she was actually caught up on class assignments, she pulled out the worksheet they had been assigned for homework that night and got out her textbook.

“Hey, I have a question for you. Before I ask, I’m sorry if this is too forward. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything. Please, feel free to say no.”

Chloe turned to her, “Calm down, Max. It’s fine.”

Max was probably more nervous than Chloe had ever seen her. “So, uh, tomorrow night I’m having a birthday party. Really low key. It’s just gonna be a few of my friends playing games and hanging out. I was wondering... if you might want to come?”

Chloe’s brain short-circuited. “Huh?”

“Yeah, we’re gonna eat pizza and play tabletop. You can even spend the night if you want to. Not that you have to, but we play pretty late sometimes.”

“I…I don’t understand.”

Max was a bit confused herself, not understanding why Chloe was confused.

“I…am inviting you to my house. For my birthday party. Would you like to come?”

Chloe continued to stare at her. She didn’t know what to say. A thousand thoughts raced around Chloe’s mind. No one had ever asked her this before.  _ Does this mean we’re friends? Does she actually like me? Isn’t she afraid to have me around people she knows? Won’t that make her look bad? Won’t I make it uncomfortable? Don’t her friends hate me? Why would she invite me? _

“I’m sorry, it was too forward wasn’t it? Forget it. I’m sorry I made you uncomfortab-“

“NO!” This startled Max. She jumped and looked at Chloe with wide eyes, leaning away from her.

“No, I’m sorry. I mean, no, I’m fine with it. Are…are you sure though? You don’t have to do this.”

Max regained her composure and leaned in toward Chloe. “I know I don’t have to, but I want you there. I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.”

"Your friends wouldn’t mind?”

“No, they don’t mind. That’s why I was late. I was talking with them about you. They were a little surprised when I suggested it, but they’re cool. Plus it’s my party, right?”

Chloe nodded. “I uh…I’ll have to ask. Are you serious? Am I gonna show up and you guys dump pig’s blood on me or something?”

Max giggled. “No, Chloe. Ew, how the hell would we even do that?”

“Those bitches in  _ Carrie _ figured it out.”

“Well, it’s not gonna happen. Do you want to come?”

“Y-yeah. Like I said, I’ll have to ask.”

“Here, give me your hand. I’ll give you my number.”

Chloe was hesitant, but she placed her hand on the desk, palm up. Her hands were still healing, but they didn’t look nearly as bad. Still, she didn’t want to have that conversation with Max.

Max smiled and used her pen to write her cell number on Chloe’s palm. She treated her hand so delicately she could barely feel the pen. “Just, uh…text me tonight and let me know. I’ll tell my parents to include you in the pizza headcount.”

“O-okay.”

“Great.” Max was beaming. Meanwhile, Chloe’s insides began to coil. “Let’s get started on this worksheet so we can get out of here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! So, what do you guys think? How are you feeling? Are you as nervous for Chloe as I am? Will David be a douche? OF COURSE! Anyways, I'm looking forward to the next few chapters. Prepare for more anxiety and some cuteness!
> 
> I am very pleased to announce that I now have a beta, Thanks_for_the_letters, who has been so incredibly helpful. With his help, I'm sure I'll be able to create better content for all of you. Plus, it's been really nice getting to know him a bit. Thanks_for_the_help, Thanks_for_the_letters! 
> 
> Yeah, that was lame. Okay bye.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains graphic depictions of abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
> 
> I'm just gonna say it. You guys are fucking incredible! Thank you so much for all of your support and your interest in this story. I love reading the comments and seeing what you guys think. It is so motivating and makes me feel more okay with life. Thank you for that.
> 
> Another big thank you to Thanks_for_the_letters for editing this chapter and making it more enjoyable for all of you (and me!). Be on the lookout for a story coming from him called Monolith. Yes, it is Life is Strange related. Yes, I believe it's gonna be rad.
> 
> Obviously, he will be in great hands with this fandom.
> 
> Thank you all again for your support. I hope that you like this chapter, even if it is hard to stomach.

_Way to go, dude, you nearly scared the piss out of her. You couldn’t have acted cool for five fucking seconds?_ Chloe trudged home while she replayed the interaction with Max over and over again in her mind. She wondered if it was real. _Does she really want me to come? What if the number was fake? What if this is just a cruel joke?_

Chloe couldn’t get the thoughts to stop, but once she looked past all of the bad shit that could possibly happen, she really did want to go to Max’s party. Working with Max after school had become the most comfortable part of her day, and if she had to choose between being at home with David or around Max, she would definitely choose Max. The problem was actually being allowed to go. She hadn’t asked to go to a friend’s house since before her father died. She feared that her mother wouldn’t believe her or David would convince her she was hanging out with “hoodlums.”

She was nervous, but she was going to try. She decided it didn’t really matter either way. Her mom could only say no, and David was going to find a reason to hit her whether she asked or not. She thought she might as well take the risk. Chloe told herself that if Max was going to do something cruel then it would have only proved her right. She was expecting Max to do something cruel, therefore, she was prepared for the disappointment. If Max and her friends didn’t do anything horrible, she might actually relax and enjoy herself. Whatever the situation, there was no harm done.

Chloe was relieved to see her mother had already arrived home. She could quickly ask and then be out of sight for the rest of the evening. She entered her home and smelled the delicious scent of food she probably wasn’t going to be allowed to eat.

“Oh, hi Chloe! Welcome home, darlin’.”

“Hi, mom.” Instead of making her way upstairs immediately, she carefully made her way to the kitchen. She poked her head into the kitchen to see if David was sitting at the table. She was relieved to see he wasn’t.

“Are you gonna join us for dinner tonight? I’d really like it if you did. We’re havin’ spaghetti.”

“Uh, sure if you want.”

“Of course I want you to. I miss you. Plus, I can force you to eat more. You’re gettin’ too skinny, girl!”

“Are you making garlic bread, too?” Chloe’s mouth was watering. She couldn’t remember the last time she actually got to eat a meal. Plus, _garlic bread_.

“You know it! It’s almost ready. You can go sit at the table, and I’ll bring it out to you.”

“Hey, mom, can I ask you something real quick?” Chloe checked again to make sure they were alone and found that David was still not around.

“Sure, hon.” Joyce took the garlic bread from the oven and placed the pan on the stove top. She removed the gloves from her hands, and then gave Chloe her full attention.

“I uh...well, I got asked to go to a birthday party tomorrow night, and I was wondering if I could go.” Joyce was silent for a long time, making Chloe fidget. “Sooooo…can I go?”

“Who’s party is it?”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “Her name is Max.”

Joyce’s demeanor brightened at this.“Oh, that girl who tutors you after school?”

“Yeah. Can I go?”

"Well, I don’t see why not. I’m so glad you made some friends!”

Chloe didn’t bother to correct her. She definitely didn’t have _friends_.

“Where is the party? Will there be a parent there? How late will you be there?”

Chloe rolled her eyes again. “It’s in the house at the end of High Street were all of the druggies hang out, so yeah, there will definitely be some adults there.” Joyce scowled. “Chill, mom. It’s at her house, her parents will be there, and she said I could spend the night if I wanted. She said they play games really late sometimes.”

“What kind of games?”

“Nerd games. You know, just board games and stuff.”

Joyce seemed hesitant. She pursed her lips then said, “If you promise to answer my text messages, then I suppose it’s fine. And please don’t roll your eyes at me! They’re gonna roll outta your head someday.”

“Fine.”

Joyce smiled, “Great. Now get your skinny butt over to that table.”

Chloe practically ran there. She was so fucking hungry, and if she could get through a meal without David, it was even better. Joyce sat the pasta in front of her, and Chloe began shoveling it into her mouth. Joyce smirked, and then walked to the garage door. “David, supper is ready!”

Joyce walked back to the table and sat across from Chloe. “Slow down, darlin’, it’s not goin’ anywhere.”

Now that David was on his way, she should actually eat faster, but she didn’t want Joyce to notice her discomfort with his presence. David stomped into the living room, gave Joyce a kiss on the cheek, and sat down at the head of the table. He scowled at Chloe while Joyce fixed him a plate. He stabbed his fork into his noodles the second she sat his plate in front of him. Chloe chewed as quickly as she could, afraid her meal could be interrupted at any second.

Joyce sat down across from Chloe, smiling. “It’s been so long since we all sat down to eat like this.” She began twirling her noodles on her fork and glanced at David and Chloe hoping for a response from either of them. David grunted.

They ate in silence for a few minutes when Joyce said, “David, Chloe made a friend! She got invited to a party tomorrow night.”

David paused and swallowed. He spoke to Joyce as if Chloe wasn’t even there. “Joyce, the girl doesn’t have any friends. I would know if she spoke to anyone at school. She lied to you.” He stabbed his fork into his noodles once more.

Joyce didn’t seem shaken by what he said. “But she said the party was for her tutor, Max. You probably don’t see them together because it’s after school.”

David chewed angrily. He obviously had something to say but wasn’t saying it. “I told her she could go, and it sounds like she is spending the night too! Isn’t that great?! At last she has a friend, so maybe she can get outta that room of hers.”

David still didn’t respond. Joyce quickly finished her plate and took her plate to the sink. She returned and placed a kiss on David’s cheek. “I’ll see you later tonight.”

Chloe gulped, “Wait, where are you going?”

Joyce bent down and kissed Chloe on the cheek as well. “I picked up a shift at the diner tonight, so I won’t be back until late.”

A rush of panic ran through her. _Joyce is going to leave me alone after dropping a bomb like that? Fuck!_

Chloe picked up her plate and took it to the sink, quickly. “Bye, mom,” she said with as much composure as she could muster. She ran up the stairs to her room, closed the door, and stood behind it, out of breath with panic. She hoped Joyce wouldn’t tell David when she was nearby. David was going to think that Chloe had slighted him, that she had intentionally tried to circumvent his authority.

Even though Chloe would never ask David for anything, he preferred to make the decisions before Joyce had a say. The last time Chloe asked for something was when she needed new headphones. She asked Joyce, Joyce had bought them, and David found out after the fact. He’d spewed some shit about it being a manipulation tactic Chloe used to get her way and told Joyce that she had to check with him before she made any decisions about things Chloe asked for. That was one of the worst beatings she had ever received from him. She never asked for anything, until today. She had thought if it didn’t have monetary value, and if Joyce mentioned it while Chloe wasn’t nearby, it wouldn’t be a big deal. She had a feeling that wasn’t the case now. Chloe knew that the situation was helpless, but for the first time in a long time, she thought the risk was worth it.

She sat at her desk, trying to calm her racing heart. She wiped sweat from her brow as she heard her mother’s car start. _Fuck. Maybe he’ll let this one go._ She tried to take a deep breath, but her diaphragm wasn’t working properly. She gripped the edge of the desk to steady her shaking hands. _It’s not anything you’re not used to. This happens all of the time. Don’t let him see you like this, you’re okay. It’s the same old shit._

Chloe could hear his heavy footsteps coming up the stairs. She fought the urge to climb out of the window and run. He would catch her if she tried, and then things would be worse. She heard him throw open the door. Slowly, he walked up behind her. Chloe didn’t bother looking at him. She didn’t dare move a muscle.

David stood there silent for a few moments while Chloe tried to keep her breathing steady. Swiftly, David grabbed a handful of Chloe’s hair and yanked her off of the chair. Chloe’s eyes began to water with the pain, but she didn’t make a sound. _Breathe. Just breathe._

“I thought we had an understanding, Chloe, but apparently you’re too stupid to follow my simple rules. You WILL NOT manipulate me, and you WILL NOT embarrass me in front of your mother!” He pulled her closer. Chloe wondered how her hair hadn’t been pulled out. At this point, it would be preferable.

“You don’t have friends, Chloe, and you never will. Want to know why? Because you’re not worth the time and effort. You’re just a poor, worthless, and completely useless pile of flesh.” With that David, threw Chloe onto the floor.

Chloe immediately felt an intense pain in her wrist when she tried to catch herself. She was so distracted by it she didn’t have time to brace for David’s steel-toed boot making contact with her gut. Now she really couldn’t breathe, and she felt like she was going to throw up all of the food she had just consumed. She tried her best to get a breath and not to panic.

“Have fun at your party,” he sneered, a sharp, mocking edge to his voice. Chloe felt spit hit her face right before he slammed the door.

Chloe lay on the floor, waiting for the searing pain to subside. She tried to take a deep breath, but the pain and the shock made it incredibly difficult. Pulling her phone from her pocket, she texted the number written on her hand.

 **Chloe:** I’ll be there.

* * *

The next school day was difficult. Chloe falling on her left hand making it difficult to write, and her stomach and ribs were extremely sore. Carrying her backpack and bending were excruciating, but she toughed it out as best she could. 

After the lunch period, Chloe walked to the English classroom after stopping at her locker to get the book they were reading, and heard the bitchy voice of Victoria Chase. She spied Victoria across the hall with Courtney and Taylor on either side of her. She didn’t see the victims until she placed her hand on the door knob.

It was Max and one of her friends.

“If you wanted a model, you would have been better off with the dumpster out back. Look at her stupid expression!” Taylor and Courtney cackled as they looked at a drawing of Max.

“Give Daniel his sketchbook and leave us alone, Victoria!” Something about Max’s tone ignited Chloe’s rage.

“I can’t believe people actually buy your waif, hipster bullshit. Your clothes, the way you act. All of it screams “Look at me! Pay attention to me!”

Without hesitation, Chloe made her way over to the group, shoved past Taylor, and stood in front of Max and Daniel. She tried to remain calm. She didn’t want to hit Victoria and risk causing a scene, or worse, hurting Max.

“And what about you isn’t screaming attention whore, Victoria? ”

Victoria sneered, “Excuse me?”

“You never waste a second telling people how expensive your clothes are. You wave around your camera every five fucking seconds making sure everyone knows how expensive it is. But let’s be honest, I know that all of this,” Chloe gestured toward Victoria, “is just a front for your daddy issues.”

“What THE FUCK-”

“You have two options here. Give back the sketch book and leave them alone, or I tell Juliet that you’re sending Zachary nasty emails and you’re gonna pin it on Dana.”

“How the…HOLY SHIT?!! ARE YOU STALKING ME?!”

Chloe chuckled lightly. “You’re not worth my time. It’s not my fault your hyenas are stupid enough to talk about it in front of me.”

Victoria looked between Taylor and Courtney with shock. The shock quickly turned to anger, and she stormed off down the hallway. Taylor threw the sketchbook on the ground, and she and Courtney practically _sprinted_ after Victoria.

Chloe smirked. _They are too fucking easy_. She quickly bent down to retrieve the sketchbook from the floor, but the quick movement made her lurch forward and her breath caught in her throat. A pathetic noise slipped past her lips indicating her discomfort.

“Oh my god, Chloe, are you okay?!” Max leaned down to help her up, but Chloe held out a hand to keep Max away. She didn’t look at Max because she was afraid of what she would see.

She handed the sketchbook to Daniel. “Thank you,” he said timidly. Chloe made her way back to the English classroom without saying a word to either of them.

 

* * *

 

 

Max was waiting for Chloe when she arrived in Ms. Grant’s classroom that afternoon. She could feel Max’s gaze, but she avoided eye contact. As she sat down, she decided that she should probably start apologizing to Max.

“I’m really sorry for this afternoon. I-”

Max started to laugh. “You ARE NOT apologizing to me right now.”

“W-what?” Chloe chanced looking at Max’s face. She was beaming.

“You were INCREDIBLE! The look on their faces….ugh, I will never forget them. So good.”

“You’re not mad?”

“NO! Dog, no! Thank you so much for doing that. You’re my hero!”

Chloe felt her cheeks heat up. “I’m really sorry, still. That kind of shit really gets me riled up. I know you two didn’t do anything to deserve that, and you sounded so-”

“So?”

“I...I just knew I had to help you.”

“No apology necessary, Chlo. I’m really glad you stepped in. I didn’t see the three of them for the rest of the day. Truly, it was a gift.”

Chloe chuckled and quickly grabbed her side as pain coursed through her abdomen.

“Chloe, what’s wrong?!” Max reached out and grabbed Chloe’s arm. This startled Chloe so much that she ripped her arm away and jumped up from her chair causing her even more pain.

Chloe felt like she couldn’t breathe. The urge to get out was overwhelming. She held her side, trying to find the quickest pathway out of the room. She felt like she was going to vomit. She could feel sweat dripping from her forehead. She couldn’t move toward the door fast enough. Max quickly ran in front of her, hands out.

“Chloe? Chloe, sit down. It’s okay, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I know you don't like being touched. It was an accident. Oh my dog, are you having a panic attack?

Chloe wasn’t sure what she meant. All she knew is that she had to get the fuck out of there. Max approached slowly.

“I can help you, okay? It used to happen to me all the time. Sit down, and I promise I can help.”

The urge to run was still present, but Chloe obeyed. She made her way back toward her chair. Max followed suit and sat next to her. “Okay, now, tell me how everything is placed in your room.”

“What the fuck, Max?!”

“Just try it. For me!”

Chloe gripped the edge of the table. Her knuckles went white. She struggled to picture her room through the panic. “I have an American flag on the window next to my bed.”

“Okay, go on.”

“I have a ton of shit on my floor. I keep my weed under my bed. I have a desk below my other window. My stereo is at the front of my room.”

“Good. Anything else?”

“I have a blue uh….thing that holds shit on the other side of my room. A closet. A dresser. Yeah.”

Without realizing it, Chloe’s breathing had returned to normal, her grip had loosened on the table, and her urge to flee was gone.

Max handed her a bottle of water. “Small sips,” she said. Chloe did as instructed.

“Are you okay? I’m really sorry I crossed one of your boundaries.”

“What just happened?”

“You had a panic attack, and I helped ground you. It helps you organize your thoughts rather than let them race around and freak you out more. I dealt with it a lot when I first started here. Still do sometimes.” Chloe nodded and took another sip of water. “Are you alright? Are you hurt?”

Chloe shook her head. “I pulled a muscle last night.”

“Oh! Well here.” Max rustled around in her bag for a moment and produced a couple of pills. “Just a pain reliever.”

_Why hadn’t I thought of that? Not that I’d be able to get any at home, but still._

“Thank you,” Chloe said before throwing the pills in her mouth.

Chloe and Max worked on their chemistry homework silently after that. After Chloe had finished, she looked over to check her answers with Max’s. “Hey, uh, I think you answered number five wrong.”

Max looked over at her, surprised. “What? I, Max Caulfield, am the master of chemistry! You could say that I’m in my...element.”

Chloe frowned at the pun. “I’m pretty sure you should add chlorine to that mix. If you add potassium, poof!”

Max looked over the question for a few moments before saying, “Shit! Look at you go, Chloe Price. I’m impressed.”

“I know what I’m talking about, periodically.” Max laughed hysterically. “Fuck, I can’t believe you got me to use that horrible pun.”

“I’m sorry, but you had to. All the good puns Argon.” Chloe snorted.


	5. Chapter 5

“You can say no if you want, but would you like a ride to my house?” Max asked her as Chloe packed away her school things. “Or do you need to go home first? I could take you there, too.”

Chloe nearly shuddered at the thought of Max seeing her home or meeting David. She couldn’t imagine someone as pure as Max being in such a horrible place. Chloe had no intention of going home after school. It wasn’t wise to go near David because surely he’d still be pissed that she was going to Max’s party.  If she had an excuse to stay away from home without David starting a manhunt, she was going to use it. She’d planned to get the address from Max, hang out at the park, and then walk there when it was closer to the time for her party. 

She didn’t intend to stay at Max’s that night either. She didn’t want to burden the small girl with her presence and out-stay her welcome. She would politely thank Max for inviting her and sneak back into the house when she knew her mom and David would be asleep.

Max saw Chloe considering her options. “You’d only be a little early. You can help me set up the game and stuff. If you’re thinking you’re gonna be in the way, you won’t be.” After a long silence she pleaded, “Come with me! It’s kind of a long walk from here.”

“Are you sure?”

“I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t! Come on.”

Max headed toward the door of the classroom, gesturing to Chloe that she should follow. Chloe couldn’t think of any excuses why she shouldn’t go.

Chloe followed Max at a distance, head down, tension in her shoulders. Max turned around and chuckled, “Relax, I’m not taking you to be executed.”

“Shut up, Caulfield,” Chloe retorted, making Max laugh.

Chloe was unsurprised by Max’s car. She’d never considered what kind of car it might be, but when she saw the dark green Subaru Forester sat in the back of the parking lot, she couldn’t see Max driving anything else. Chloe could tell it was an older model, the kind of car most teenagers had unless they were one of the rich pricks in the Vortex Club. On the hatch was a single bumper sticker displaying the band name “Phish” in psychedelic-colored letters.

Chloe placed her hand on her mouth to hide her smirk.

“What?” Max asked, retrieving her keys from her pocket and smiling at Chloe. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, nothing. It’s just that…” Chloe wasn’t sure if she was at this level with Max, but she decided to risk it. “I didn’t realize you were such a goddamn hippie.”

Max pursed her lips and then flipped Chloe off with a smile. “It’s my dad’s old car. I didn’t have much of a choice, but I like it anyway. And Phish was the soundtrack to my childhood, so quit judging!”

Chloe shrugged with a smirk and slipped into the passenger seat, shoving her backpack between her knees. She leaned on the door and looked straight ahead. She had the urge to flee once again, but she was here, and she was doing this. _Max is cool. She isn’t a shitty person. You’re fine._

“Seatbelt!” Chloe rolled her eyes and wrapped the seatbelt around herself. Chloe stole a glance at Max, noting that she was looking rather pleased with herself.

They remained silent for a while. Chloe wasn’t really sure what to say. Her thoughts were racing, and she couldn’t stop thinking about how weird this was. They had gone from Chloe bitching her out and accusing her of having ulterior motives to being like...friends??? And now she was riding in her car, going to her birthday party, spending time with her. _What the fuck is happening?_

Chloe decided to break the silence. She needed to relax and wasn’t finding it easy. “So, uh, what was that thing you had me do back in the classroom again?”

“Oh, it’s called grounding yourself. You can think of anywhere and where things are placed in that space. It worked pretty well, huh?”

“Yeah. Where did you learn it?”

“I learned it from my therapist a few years ago. I’ve struggled with anxiety most of my life, and my parents finally realized what a problem it was when I was a preteen.”

She talked so openly about it, which left Chloe a bit bewildered. “You seem pretty okay to me.”

“Yeah, I’m in a good place right now. If we spoke to each other through elementary or middle school, you would’ve figured it out. I hid behind my camera most of the time. I observed but never interacted with the world. Starting at Blackwell was the worst. Being surrounded by people like Nathan Prescott and Victoria Chase _did not_ do me any favors.”

“I know what you mean.” Max was still smiling. Chloe thought it was kind of funny how straight she was sitting in her seat. Both of her hands were on the wheel. She seemed so perfect yet so normal. Chloe didn’t know how to describe it. She was just so... _Max_.

“You don’t seem to have any problem standing up to them. Seriously, it was so cool what you did today. You were so brave and...powerful. You knew exactly what to say to get them to lose their shit. So amazing. Now I owe you even harder for saving my sorry ass from a bully a second time!”

Chloe nearly laughed. _Me, brave? Powerful? HA! Just last night my stepfather threw me on the ground and kicked me so hard that I nearly threw up. I didn’t stand up to him. I didn’t fight back. I’m fucking pathetic._

“You don’t owe me. You just…” Chloe paused trying to choose her words carefully. She didn’t want Max to know that she came over because the sound of her voice pleading with Victoria had ignited something within her. If Chloe was able to do something about it, she wasn’t going to watch Max and her friend flounder. She didn’t understand it, but she wouldn’t let that happen to Max. “I knew that you needed help, and I know more about what they’re all doing than they do.”

“Thank you again, Chloe. You can downplay it all you want, but I know how awesome you are.”

Chloe shifted uncomfortably in her seat and looked at the floor of the car, “W-what no, I’m not-”

“But you are!”

Chloe glanced back at Max who winked and grinned widely. Chloe quickly looked out the window, overwhelmed by the eye contact and the wink. She could feel her cheeks heating up. Her stomach flipped, and she felt something weird. Excitement? Shame? Anticipation? She wasn’t sure.

A minute later, Max turned into a driveway that led to a light blue, split-level home with mahogany doors. Chloe thought it looked like a house you would see in a movie. She automatically felt like she shouldn’t go in, like her presence would leave a stain on the house and its energy. Another wave of anxiety crashed over Chloe which she tried her best to ignore.

Max ushered Chloe into the front door. “We gotta take our shoes off here. My mom will flip a lid if she sees someone with shoes on the carpet.”

Chloe wished she had thought of that when she dressed that morning. She only had one pair of socks without holes. She kicked off her boots and hoped Max wouldn’t look at her feet. Max led her up a small flight of stairs that led into a living room that Chloe could only describe as immaculate. The white carpet almost glowed in the sunlight beaming through the bay windows. The brown, leather furniture begged to be sat on. The television consumed half of the wall. There was a fireplace, house plants, art. It smelled like fresh laundry. These people were perfect.

“Can I get you a drink? Soda? Water? Juice?”

“N-no I’m okay, thank you.” As Max made her way to the kitchen, Chloe spotted family pictures by the bannister. She was drawn to them, curious as to what Max’s life has been like. From the pictures, Chloe never would have guessed that Max struggled with anxiety. She looked so happy in all of them. _Why would they hang pictures of her having a hard time? Don’t be stupid_.

Max and her father at a hockey game. Max holding her polaroid camera, obviously filled with glee. Max and her mother and father posing on the beach. Chloe remembered times like these in her own family. Her mother had taken down their photos when she started seeing David.

Max spoke and startled Chloe who had been so enthralled by the pictures she hadn’t heard the small girl return to her side. “That was the summer we went to LA. It’s one of my favorite places. Here, I got you some water. I thought you might have said no because you didn’t want to impose.”

Max was right. Chloe took the glass from her. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Max smiled.

“I’ve always wanted to go to LA. Anywhere other than Arcadia Bay to be honest.”

“I know what you mean. I love it here, but it’s too small. There’s nothing ever going on, and there are no opportunities unless you want to be a fisherman.”

That wasn’t exactly Chloe’s thinking, but she agreed enough. “Yeah.”

“Follow me, I’ll show you my room!”

Chloe nodded and followed Max back down the stairs to the front door, and down another flight of stairs to the basement. “You live in a basement?”

“Mmhmm!”

 _Holy shit._ She basically had her own apartment. There was a living area with a futon, a couple of chairs, and a television. There was a table that was currently covered with photos. More photos adorned the wood-paneled walls. The lantern string lights provided a feeling of comfort and coziness to the the room. Max had a few posters here and there of her favorite hipster bands. Chloe saw there was a tall shelf with movies and another filled with books. Chloe determined there was a lot to learn about the hipster girl. She had barely broken the surface of who she is.

Chloe kept her at a distance on purpose, but now she wanted to know more about her. Being here made her feel guilty that she has spent most of her time with Max trapped in her own head. She didn’t often consider what was going on in Max’s head unless it had to do with her.

“The bathroom is right behind you if you need it.” _SHE HAS HER OWN BATHROOM?_!

Chloe glanced behind her and saw a full bathroom complete with a toilet, shower, and sink. What wouldn’t she give to live in a place like this? “This is…really cool, Max.”

“Thank you! It took some convincing, but the parents finally let me move down here. I spent most of my time down here anyways. This is where my mom preferred me bringing my friends. If we stained her precious carpet…”

“She'd slaughter you?”

“Exactly.”

Max took a sip of her drink. “Sooooo, would you be willing to help me clean off the table and get some extra chairs from upstairs?”

“Sure.” Chloe sat her glass down on the coffee table by the futon, shrugged her book bag onto the floor,  and rubbed her hands on her pants to get rid of condensation.

Max motioned for Chloe to come toward her. Chloe stood next to her while Max piled all of the photos and paper into her arms. “There’s a closet over there. Just place the pile on the floor.” Then Max whispered, “Don’t tell my mom.”

Chloe chuckled and did as she was instructed. She opened the closet door and was stunned to find it could be a room in itself. Chloe allowed herself a moment of awe before she bent down to place the items on the floor. She had forgotten that bending over was bound to cause her intense pain. As she did so, she lurched forward as her breath was knocked out of her. She fell to her knees without a sound.

“What game would you like to pl- CHLOE! What happened? Are you okay?”

Chloe nodded and forced out the words, “I’m fine, just give me a sec.” Slowly, carefully, Chloe got back to her feet.

“No, no something is wrong. This is the third time today you’ve-”

“It’s okay.”

“I think you did a bit more than pull a muscle. What happened?”

 _Fuck, I forgot we talked about this already._ “I um...I fell last night.”

“You fell?”

“Yeah. I got a little banged up.” Chloe’s breathing started to pick up. _There is no way she bought that._ Max was blocking her exit from the closet.

“Can...will…” Max was struggling to say what she wanted to say because she didn’t want Chloe to freak out. “Please let me help you.” Max held out her hand, presumably for Chloe to take. Chloe looked nervously from Max’s hand to her eyes. She was starting to sweat. She should really leave, but what was the alternative? She would go home and see David, hear him say how worthless she is, possibly hurt her more. Or, she could take Max’s hand, let her help, let her see.

Max had already noticed something was wrong, and she couldn't hide it any longer. She wasn’t going to forget. If she rejected her, she might burst the bubble of comfort that had been forming between them. _This is your chance to let her in, Chloe. You were just beating yourself up for not knowing her better, and now you’re thinking of clamming up and shutting her out? Pushing her away? She’s not going to hurt you. She’s proved that much._

“Please, Chloe. You can trust me.”

With a shaking hand, Chloe placed her hand in Max’s. Her hand felt so soft. When their eyes met, Chloe felt different. The feeling was familiar, but it was something she had only felt in the distant past.

Max’s smile was gentle. “Come with me.” Max led Chloe over to her futon. “Sit here. Please don’t run away. Promise me.”

“I...I promise.” Max gave Chloe’s hand a squeeze before she ran up the stairs and out of sight.

Chloe felt....okay. Max didn’t look at her like she was pathetic. She took her word and didn’t press her for further information. Nothing was forced, it was all genuine.

She heard Max galloping skillfully down the steps. She appeared in the doorway suddenly, holding an ice pack. She closed the door behind her, ran into her bathroom, and flipped on the light. She grabbed a towel and something out of the medicine cabinet. “Okay, I think this will help.” She arranged the items in front of Chloe on the coffee table.

Max reached once more for Chloe’s hand as if her hand were the anchor that would keep Chloe here. She accepted Max’s request with little hesitation. “Do you trust me?” Max asked. Chloe could tell she was afraid of the answer.

Chloe gulped and slowly nodded her head. Max released the breath she was holding and held Chloe’s hand tighter. “Will you please let me see where it hurts? I know that’s a lot to ask, but I promise I won’t tell anyone. Just let me see,” Max pleaded, “Let me help you. Please.”

Chloe searched her eyes for a lie, any hint of insincerity, but found none. She trusted Max. Since the day they met, Max had done nothing but show Chloe respect. She helped Chloe, she considered Chloe’s feelings about things, and she was so kind. Chloe removed her hand from Max’s and placed her hand on the hem of her black shirt. Slowly, she lifted the shirt showing Max her ribcage.

“Jesus Christ, Chloe,” Max said breathlessly. Chloe hadn’t even looked at it herself. She had avoided it while she struggled to put her clothes on that morning. She glanced down at her side and saw a black and purple bruise covering almost her entire side.

Max quickly got to work wrapping the towel around the ice pack. “I’m really sorry if this hurts at first.” As gently as she could, she placed the ice pack on Chloe’s side. Chloe looked away to wince. She could feel her eyes fill with tears, but she refused to cry in front of Max.

Max held the ice pack in place while she lowered Chloe’s shirt. Chloe lowered her arm to hold it in place.

“You okay?” Max placed her hand on Chloe’s knee, rubbing gently. Chloe twitched only slightly before nodding.

“Thank you.”

“Anytime. If you need help, you don’t have to hide it. Not from me, okay?”

Chloe nodded once more.

“That looks really gnarly. I feel bad for asking you to do anything!”

“It’s not a big deal. I can still help you.”

“It is a big deal, Chlo. Stay here. I’m gonna go grab the chairs from upstairs. Just relax.”

Suddenly, they heard a door close from overhead and heavy footfalls sounded as someone approached the basement door. They weren’t the regimented, deliberate footfalls of David, but they still caused Chloe to worry. Instinctively, Chloe tensed and held onto the edge of the futon, her knuckles white. The reaction didn’t slip by Max.

There was a knock at the door, and then a bearded man entered the room. “Hey, pumpkin. How you doin’?”

Max smiled at her father. Her hand remained on Chloe’s knee, trying to provide the comfort that Chloe obviously needed.

“Hey, dad. I’m good. This is my friend, Chloe!”

He nodded toward her with a smile, “Nice to meet you, Chloe! We’ve heard so much about you. I’m glad we can finally put a face to the name.”

Chloe cleared her throat and tried to sit up straighter. “It’s n-nice to meet you, sir.”

“Oh, no. That’s not gonna work. Please, call me Ryan.” He looked back toward Max. “Pumpkin, do you know when you want to order pizza or what kind of pizza all of you want?”

“Hmmm...Chloe and I haven’t talked about it yet. Can we let you know in a couple minutes?”

“Sure, sweetheart. Let me know soon...you won’t like me when I’m hungry!” Ryan began pretending he was the Hulk. He clawed at his tie and shirt, growling, while Max begged him to stop. He laughed maniacally as he closed the door and made his way up the stairs.

“I’m so sorry. He uses every opportunity for a dad joke.”

Chloe giggled, “It’s okay. He seems like a good dad.”

“He is. He’s a great dad. So, what do you like on your pizza? We better tell him what to get before he turns green.”

“I uuuhhh...I didn’t know I was supposed to bring money for food.”

Max stared at her incredulously, like she had just grown another eye. “Chloe...you don’t need any money. My parents are buying pizza for everyone, for my party. That’s what you do for your guests, and you are going to eat some. I’ll make damn sure of it.”

“Oh, uh, sorry. I’m not picky. You can just get what everyone else likes.”

Max grinned mischievously, “Extra pineapple it is, then. On ALL of the pizzas.”

Chloe’s mouth fell open, “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh...but I WOULD!”

Chloe chuckled, “Okay fine, fine. I like pepperoni and those little yellow pepper ring things.”

“No mushroom?”

“Meh.”

“Green peppers?”

“Eh, they’re okay.”

“Sausage?”

“Nah.”

“Anchovies?”

“Ugh, no! What?! No. And for the love of god, keep your pineapples away.”

Max faked exasperation, “Fine!”

After telling her dad what to get and grabbing extra chairs from upstairs, Max sat next to Chloe once more. Chloe was flipping through Max’s Netflix account in awe of everything she could watch. “Oh man, _Back to the Future_ is on here! I haven’t seen that in forever.”

“Make like a tree, and get outta here! That is one of my favorite series of all time. Look, I have the box set right up there.”

She wasn’t lying. It looked very fancy. “Can we...can we watch it?”

“For sure! People will be arriving soon, so it might get interrupted, but I’m sure they will be happy to join us.”

“Awesome,” Chloe smiled.

“Hey, before they get here, how are you feeling? Did the ice help at all?”

“Y-yeah it’s fine. Thank you so much.” She slid the towel and ice pack out and handed it to Max.

“The pain reliever is right there if you wanna take more. We can put the ice pack on again in a bit if you want to. I’m not sure if anyone is planning on staying. Are you staying?”

Chloe kind of wished she had brought clothes now. She was so comfortable she had forgotten that shitty part of her life for a moment, and she didn’t want to leave.

“It’s okay! You don’t have to.”

“No. I just...didn’t bring any clothes or anything with me. I didn’t plan on staying. I know you said I could, but I didn’t want to burden you.”

Max reached her hand toward Chloe once more. When Chloe placed her hand in Max’s, Max pulled her hand onto her lap began caressing Chloe’s hand with her thumb. “Thank you. I feel like you hear me better when I have your hand. I want you to listen and listen good, Chloe Price.”

Chloe nodded, trying to ignore the shivers traveling up her spine.

“If I ask you to do something, and you don’t want to do it, you are ALWAYS allowed to say no. Understand?”

“Y-yes.”

“If I invite you over, it is not out of obligation, but because I want you to be here. You are NEVER a burden to me.”

Chloe nodded, “Okay.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! This chapter was much easier to stomach yeah? You got some cuteness in there, and it is psycho, abusive stepfather free. I'm excited because we are getting closer to where I really want to go with this story! I'm feeding my own Pricefield addiction right now.
> 
> I hope that you guys are enjoying it. Thank you so much for reading and for supporting the story. I love interacting with you guys!
> 
> I told Thanks_for_the_letters today that he is exactly what I was looking for in a beta. Seriously guys, he is amazing. Let's all thank him. *claps and throws confetti*  
> He hasn't published Monolith yet, but I can tell you that it is very good stuff. 
> 
> I swear the next chapter will include the party ahahaha. Until next time! <3


	6. Chapter 6

Multiple footfalls on the stairs interrupted George McFly explaining that he wasn’t very good at confrontations. Assuming Max’s friends would soon be coming through the door, Chloe quickly removed her hand from Max’s and pretended to be very focused on the movie.

Soon after, a teenaged boy burst through Max’s door, “MAX POWER, are you ready to get the party started?!?!”

“Oh yeah, this party is about to be _lit_ ,” Max deadpanned. Chloe recognized the boy as Warren, someone she had been friends with long ago. A couple of others followed Warren inside. Brooke closely followed Warren wherever he went, and behind them was a girl Chloe didn’t recognize. She had a lot of blonde hair pulled up into a bun, a sweet face, and a necklace with a small cross.

Chloe remained on the futon trying to keep calm. She knew that part of throwing a party was having more than one person attend said party, but she hadn’t adequately prepared for being around others. It was made especially awkward by the fact that she used to be friends with two of them. Chloe found herself desperately longing for more time alone with Max.

“Hey guys! Come on in. We’re watching _Back to the Future_.”

Everyone followed Max to the living area. Max reclaimed her spot next to Chloe and began introductions. “I know we all go to school together, but this is Chloe.” She pointed each person out to Chloe as she introduced them. “This is Warren, Brooke, and that’s Kate.”

Chloe forced a smile and said, “Hey.” There was a very uncomfortable pause. It seemed like no one really knew what to do or say. Chloe started to fidget and looked at her feet.

“Chloe, Daniel told us what you did for him this afternoon. That was so sweet of you,” Kate said quietly, breaking the silence. Chloe could tell Kate was nervous, like the compliment would set off the ticking time bomb that was Chloe Price.

 It seemed like this is the topic that everyone was eager to discuss. “Yeah that was super badass, dude,” Warren agreed.

 “I ran into Victoria and her posse in the bathroom, and she was freaking out. I don’t think they even went to class for the rest of the day. How’d you know what they were doing?”

 The group continued bombarding her with questions. Overwhelmed by the attention, Chloe began wringing her hands. Thinking she could feel another panic attack start to form, she looked at Max, her eyes pleading for help.

 “Guys, slow down! Give her a break. Chloe, how did you know all of that stuff?” Max ventured.

 Chloe swallowed hard, “Um, well, I hear them talking about the shit they’re doing all the time. They treat me like I’m invisible until they want to start something.”

 “I know what you mean. It’s like they won’t bother with you until they have something nasty to say,” Kate sympathized.

 “Or unless they want to assault you,” Warren added. “Well, Chloe, I’m just glad that they finally paid _the price_ for all of their cruelty.”

 Everyone groaned. “Warren, you are the worst,” Kate chuckled.

 With that, everyone turned their attention back to the movie. “EIGHTY-EIGHT MILES PER HOOOOUURR!” Doc Brown shouted, jumping up and down.

 “What is this movie again?” Kate asked.

 “W-what did you just say?” Warren asked, astonished.

 “I...I asked what this movie is,” Kate said nervously.

 Warren leaned forward in his chair, “You’ve…never seen this movie??”

 “No, what is it?” Kate asked, annoyance clear in her voice.

 “You’re telling me you have no idea what this movie is about?” his tone incredulous.

 “No! That’s why I asked. You know I haven’t seen many movies.”

 “But it...how...WHAT?” Warren shrieked.

 Brooke chuckled, “Way to go, Kate. I think you broke him.”

 With his head in his hands, Warren said, “Oh my god guys, there is no way Kate is leaving here tonight without watching this classic. I don’t understand how she hasn’t seen this, or at least heard me talk about it.”

 “Sometimes we have to tune you out for our own sanity,” Max teased. Everyone laughed except Chloe, but she smiled, enjoying Max’s snarky side. Warren was extremely displeased.

* * *

 

“Oh no! No! I can’t look!” Kate couldn’t handle the suspense. She turned away as Doc and Marty tried fixing the cables to get Marty back to 1985.

 Chloe whispered to Max, “It...It’s so weird to see someone watch this for the first time.”

 “I know it’s so cute! She still thinks this is going to end badly,” Max giggled.

“SSHHH! Don’t ruin it,” Warren reprimanded.

Max rolled her eyes, and leaned into Chloe to whisper, “He’s very serious about his movies. You should have seen him when I said the Indiana Jones movies are misogynistic and problematic.”

“I can hear you, Caulfield!”

Max chuckled, “See.”

“HULLO CHILDREN!” Ryan Caulfield bellowed. Chloe nearly jumped off the futon. Max grabbed onto her shirt. Max, seeing the panic in Chloe’s eyes mouthed, “It’s okay,” and instructed her to take a deep breath. No one seemed to notice Chloe’s panic as they were too focused on Ryan entering the room.

“The pizza has arrived,” he said at a normal volume, placing the pizza on the table behind them. “Please, no pushing, shoving, kicking, punching, or biting. Kate, I’m lookin’ at you. Behave.” Chloe looked at Kate and saw her smile and blush at his words.

“Dad...seriously?

“Yes, Maximilian. Now will you please come upstairs and help me bring down some drinks for your friends?”

Max skipped up the stairs after her father leaving Chloe alone with Max’s friends. They didn’t seem to mind; they were focused on the movie. Chloe was relieved that there wasn’t any pressure for them to talk to one another. She looked over at Warren and saw Brooke sitting on the floor in front of his chair. Clearly, there was something going on between them. She wondered if Warren knew Brooke was totally into him.

She glanced over at Kate, who was still enraptured by what was taking place on the screen. She sat on the edge of the chair and clutched her chest, desperately hoping Marty was going to make it back to 1985. Chloe thought she seemed naive but very precious. Her life was likely the exact opposite of Chloe’s. She probably had a family that listened to her and treated her like a porcelain doll.

The smell of the pizzas sitting behind them hit Chloe like a freight train. _Fuck me uuuuuup, I want that pizza._ She felt her stomach gurgling. It was rare she got to eat a meal two nights in a row!

Max and her father reappeared. “Come and take your pick!” Ryan said, gesturing to Max’s arms laden with soda bottles. “You too, Chloe,” he added when she didn’t immediately rise from her seat. She waited for the others to make their choices and then walked up to Max. She had two bottles left, and Chloe didn’t even care what it was. It was going to be a treat no matter what, so she grabbed one at random. Ryan then handed plates and napkins to Max and left them to their party.

Max passed out the plates to everyone, saving Chloe for last. “You okay?” she whispered.

Chloe nodded.

Chloe approached the pizza boxes, waiting behind the others who were sorting them out and opening them. As each box opened, Chloe was hit with their heavenly aroma. It had been 24 hours since her last meal, and she was so fucking ready for this.

When it was her turn, she found the pizza she had requested. _Keep calm. I know you’re hungry, but you can’t shove this whole fuckin thing in your mouth. Take two pieces, and that’s it._

With her pizza in hand, she returned to the futon and plopped down next to Max. They finished the movie while they ate.

“Oh my, so there’s a second one?! Oh my gosh. I don’t think I can take another movie like that!”

They all laughed. “Oh and the second one is even more cringy. So much happens!” Warren explained.

After swallowing a bite Max asked, “You guys, what would you do if you had time machine or travel powers? What would you change?”

Warren cleared his throat, “Easy. I would go back in time and prevent George Lucas from making the Star Wars prequels.”

Brooke snickered, “Great idea!”

Max persisted, “No, seriously! What’s something that you really think would have an impact?”

Kate spoke up, “So many horrible things have happened in the world. I think I’d find the one thing that harmed the most people and work to put a stop to it.”

“Ppppffff, what a cop out! That’s just a thinly veiled, ‘I’d kill Hitler.’ Come on!” Warren interjected.

“It’s better than saving George Lucas’ dignity! That wouldn’t help shit!” Brooke shouted. The group started bickering with each other about the best decision. Max sided with Kate, and Brooke was trying to play both sides. As Chloe finished her pizza, she thought about the many things that she would love to change. First, she would keep her father from leaving to pick up her mom at the grocery store. If that didn’t work, she would find a way to sabotage David. If that didn’t work, she would leave Arcadia Bay before she even met that asshole. In reality, if she had the chance, she would never change anything.

“What’re you thinking about over there?” Kate asked, noticing Chloe hadn’t joined the conversation. “You seem like you’ve got something on your mind.”

Everyone directed their attention at Chloe, which was kind of startling, but she had an opinion and wanted to share. “I wouldn’t change anything.”

Perplexed, Max asked, “Really? Not a thing?”

“Nope.”

“So you’d waste it?” Warren was beside himself.

Chloe began her explanation, “Okay, let’s start with the Star Wars thing. If those movies weren’t made, other movies would have been made with that money. What if they were worse than those?”

“Impossible,” Warren insisted, “They’re complete garbage.”

“Okay, fine. Seriously, though, what if you went back in time and saved someone or kept a person from harming another? What impact would that have? If you killed someone, what would their absence do to the world? You’d save lives, but what if one if their victims was a serial killer? Did you really do any good?”

“Holy shit,” Brooke said.

Chloe continued, “And how could you even decide that many lives are more important than one life or vice versa? We shouldn’t have the power to choose, which is probably why we don’t. How could we possibly make those choices? You can say I’m selfish, but I will not place value on human life. It’s not my place.”

The rest of the group looked at each other in awe. “Wow, now I feel kind of bad for even asking,” Max said.

“No, Max, it was a great question! It’s important to think about,” Kate appeased.

“Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of things that I would want to change. I think we all have those things, but I couldn’t. Every action has a consequence, and I’m not gonna fuck with whatever balance exists.”

“Daaaaaaaaaammmmmn, Chloe Price droppin’ some knowledge.”

“You’re not cool, Warren,” Brooke said, slapping his knee with a chuckle.

“That’s a really interesting perspective, Chloe. You’re right, too. I never would have thought about it like that,” Kate complimented.

“There’s another time travel movie called _The Butterfly Effect_ where a guy tries to fix things, but they are never fixed perfectly how he wants them. I think Chloe has a point,” Warren said. The conversation continued between Brooke, Kate, and Warren, but Chloe looked over at Max who had been silent for a while.

Chloe saw Max’s eyes sparkling. Max looked surprised, but at the same time Max knew that this part of Chloe existed. Lurking beneath, hidden in the darkness, was a brilliant woman struggling to escape and be seen. But what was keeping her there, and how had she gotten there?

“I think they like you,” Max whispered.

“Nah, I just know how to speak nerd.”

Max shook her head, deciding this was not the time or place to try and convince her otherwise. “You want more pizza? You barely ate any.”

“No, no, I’m good.”

When the words came out of her mouth, Chloe knew they weren’t convincing. She wanted to eat more, but she didn’t want to take advantage of the Caulfields’ kindness more than she already had. Chloe promptly looked away from Max.

“Are you sure? You can have as much as you want.”

Chloe nodded, afraid that her words would betray her further. She could almost feel Max’s skepticism.

Luckily, Warren interrupted, “Chloe, what’s your favorite version of time travel? From all of the different media out there, which is best?”

Chloe felt weird being asked her opinion once more. No one other than Max had shown any interest in recent years. _Are they looking for ammunition to make fun of me? Do they think I’m weird?_

Chloe’s mind quieted when she looked at Max again who leaned forward, placing her elbows on her knees. She looked at Chloe expectantly with the sparkle returning to her eyes.

Chloe smirked, feeling surprisingly calm. While cracking her knuckles, Chloe said, “Welp, buckle up, Graham. I’ll tell you why Stephen King has it right.”

* * *

 

The conversation continued late into the night. Someone would ask a question, and discussion would ensue. As the conversations continued, Chloe became more at ease. She had forgotten what it was like to have these conversations. They didn’t have to be a simple exchange where one person asked something of another. Chloe enjoyed hearing other perspectives and realized she liked this group of people. She still had her reservations, but even she had to admit this could have gone much worse.

“Wow, I’ve never heard of that, but it sounds like we need to have another Max party and binge.”

Max laughed, “Inviting ourselves over are we?”

“Don’t lie, you love it,” Warren joked, standing up from his chair. “Sorry we didn’t play anything tonight. There were more pressing matters at hand.” Warren glared in Kate’s direction. “This was fun, though. Chloe, I hope we’ll see you around more often, even if some of your opinions are shit.”

“Fuck off,” Chloe said with a chuckle.

Warren smiled and turned to Brooke and Kate. “What do you say, ladies? You want a ride back to Blackwell or are you staying here?”

“I’ll come with you,” Brooke said eagerly. Chloe looked at Max wondering if she caught it. It didn’t look like she had.

“Me too,” Kate agreed. “Chloe, it was a pleasure. Happy birthday, Max!” She rose from her chair and ran into Max’s arms. “Thank you for having us!”

“No, thank you guys for coming! This was great!”

_Shit, I forgot that’s why we were here. Way to go, you asshole. You haven’t said it to her one fucking time today. You were too wrapped up in your own shit._

“Happy birthday!” Brooke and Warren shouted.

Chloe felt sick with guilt.

“Bye Max! Bye Chloe!” With that the group was up the stairs and out the door. Chloe was horrified at her selfishness.

Max sat down next to Chloe once more. “How was it? Are you okay? They totally like you. I think you’re an official member of the group now, Miss Let-Me-Blow-Your-Mind-With-My-Time-Travel-Opinions.”

Chloe gulped. She had to do something. She startled Max as she shot up from the futon and ran to her book bag.

“Chloe what’s going on? What happened?”

She pulled out her sketchbook and a pencil and returned to her spot.

“Chloe, what are you doing?”

“Shush. Just sit still for a few minutes.”

This was the only thing she had to offer the girl that had shown her the most kindness. She helped her with her injury, kept her calm, fed her, made sure she had a good time, and Chloe had done nothing. She hadn’t even said happy birthday. _I’m the fucking worst. Don’t fuck this up._

Max did as she was told. She remained silent but kept her curious eyes on Chloe.

It took a bit, but Chloe was happy with the final result. She ripped the page out of her sketchbook and handed it to Max.

Chloe drew her character Spore. Spore had her hand out, using her power to throw mold spores about. She had on a pair of sunglasses, a party hat, and one of those annoying party horns in her mouth. Next to her was a character Chloe had just created with the likeness of Max. Chloe had been thinking of this character for a while. Mold spores grow well when there is moisture, so a character who was able to keep things moist might be a good companion for Spore. Out of the other character’s hand came little droplets of water. She looked pissed off at the world and completely unenthused by Spore’s antics.

“Happy birthday, Max. I...I’m so sorry.”

Max ran her hand over the page and practically whispered, “Holy shit, this is amazing!”

“You...you like it?”

“Yes! Chloe this is so cool! What’s her name?”

Relief flooded over her, “I was thinking...maybe Trickle? Just enough to provide a moist environment but not wash away the spores.”

Max laughed, “Dog, this is the coolest! Thank you so much! You really didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I did. I’m sorry that I didn’t say happy birthday before now. I’ve been an asshole.”

Without even asking, Max grabbed Chloe’s hand. “You’re not an asshole. I know this was stressful for you, but I am so, so glad you came. Did you have fun?”

Chloe looked at their joined hands. She nodded. “It’s the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

“I was worried I’d pushed you into something, and you were gonna hate me for it, but once they got you talking...you’re even cooler than I thought you were.”

Chloe snickered, “See, I told you I wasn’t a nerd.”

“I hate to break it to you, but every bit of you is a nerd, Chloe. Only a true nerd could have carried on a conversation like that with this group of people. I hope you’ll join us again.”

 Chloe nodded. “Definitely.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who have never been to an introvert party, welcome! They are actually really great. Try it sometime. 
> 
> I want to give a big shout out to my pal, Thanks_for_the_letters for putting up with my self-doubt and constant questioning. Not only that, he is an amazing editor and writer himself. Go check out Monolith if you haven't already. I'm pretty sure he will be posting soon. 
> 
> Thank you all for being here and for your support. You guys surprise me constantly, and I love hearing from you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. 
> 
> Prepare yourselves to learn a bit more about Max next chapter! :D


	7. Chapter 7

Chloe looked into the bathroom mirror and ran her fingers through her hair. This had gone a lot better than she thought it would, but her shoulders were starting to ache from all the tension that was held there during the party. She took a deep breath and washed her hands. Max had a soap called “Flannel” in her bathroom, finally revealing to Chloe why Max smelled the way she did - clean, like laundry.

After drying her hands, she pulled her phone from her pocket remembering she was supposed to be texting Joyce. _Fuck_. She had missed a couple texts, but they weren’t frantic yet.

 **Joyce:** How are you doing?

 **Joyce:** We talked about this

 **Chloe:** Sorry. I’m fine. I’m staying the night.

The reply was almost immediate.

 **Joyce:** It’s ok sweetie but I wish you would have texted me sooner. See you tmrw

She really should’ve texted her when she got here. Hopefully she hadn’t bothered to tell David she was waiting on Chloe’s text. She shoved her phone back into her pocket, and exited the bathroom. Max was at the table gathering up the pizza boxes and cleaning up the mess, so Chloe decided she would help.

“You don’t have to do that, Chlo. I can take care of it. You need to be resting anyways.”

“No, no it’s okay. I need to help. You’ve done a lot for me today.”

Max shook her head and decided not to argue further. “Are you sure you don’t want any more to eat?”

“I’m good, dude.”

“You can eat however much you want, Chloe. Anything you want. In fact, I’ll get you more food if you want more.”

Chloe’s stomach betrayed her and began to rumble. “Really?”

“Absolutely, yes. Please eat.” Max left the pizza with Chloe’s preferred toppings. “I’m gonna take the rest upstairs.”

Chloe sat down at Max’s table and waited until she left to eat. She knew that she wasn’t at home, but she couldn’t shake the deep feeling of anxiety she felt. She almost never got to eat a meal, and when she did, she was never allowed to eat as much as she wanted. She had gotten lucky last night, but David would never let her eat what she wanted. Chloe knew it was just yet another way for him to control the situation. _Sick fuck_.

It felt really good to eat without anyone around. There was no one glaring at her or threatening her. Chloe added it to the growing list of things she liked about being at Max’s house.

Max returned from upstairs and sat across from Chloe. “Good?”

“Good,” Chloe nodded.

They sat in silence for a few moments while Chloe stuffed her face. She felt a little self-conscious, so she decided to get Max talking. She wanted to learn more about her after all.

“So uhh...how did you meet your friends?”

Max grabbed her chin as if it would help her think. “Well, I met Kate in art class a looooong time ago. We were both quiet and artsy, and we were bullied a lot. We each needed a friend so badly, so it kind of just happened. I’m thinking it was definitely around the whole atomic wedgie incident for you.” she giggled.

Chloe smirked. “And Brooke?”

“I met her through Kate. She’d been friends with Brooke since childhood. Brooke lived in Seattle, though, so they didn’t see each other very often. I met her when she moved here to come to Blackwell. We had a rocky start, to be honest, but she’s become a great friend.”

“Why?”

Max chuckled and shook her head in disbelief as her mind replayed the memory. She looked down at her fingers as she picked at her nails. “Umm...well…” she shook her head.

“I’m sorry, you don’t have to answer.” Chloe scolded herself internally for making Max uncomfortable.

“No, no it’s fine! It’s just so silly. When we started at Blackwell, we all met Warren. Warren he...had this huge crush on me. It was borderline creepy. Brooke, she really liked Warren, but Warren liked me, so it was kind of a huge mess. We’re fine now, though.”

“Ha! I knew there was something going on between them. I was wondering if you knew about it.”

“Oh yes, I know.”

“...and are you…okay with that?” Chloe felt like she was creeping around a land mine. She was curious, but she could tell this was a sensitive topic for Max.

Max ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath. She crossed her arms on the table in front of her and leaned forward. “I don’t tell many people this. Only my parents and the people you met tonight know. I feel like I can trust you. Can I trust you?”

Chloe nodded with vigor. “Absolutely. In your words, ‘If you hear it from anyone else, you have permission to kick my ass.’”

Max laughed lightly. “I will totally kick your ass.”

“Your puny self ain’t got nothin on me, hippie,” Chloe joked. “Seriously, though. I won’t tell anybody.”

Max outstretched an arm, “Pinky promise?”

Without hesitation, Chloe reached out her hand and wrapped her pinky around Max’s. “Pinky promise.”

Max took a deep breath and folded her arms in front of her again. “To answer your question, yes, I am okay with Brooke and Warren being together. Warren and I have a lot in common, but I never liked Warren that way. I will never like Warren that way.” Max stared at Chloe intensely, hoping Chloe would get the hint and she wouldn’t have to say the words out loud.

Chloe furrowed her brow. Max’s look confused her more. “Okay...w-why are you looking at me like that?”

“UGH why is this so hard?!” Max said, exasperated. “Sorry, this is ridiculous. You’re my friend, I can tell you these things.”

Chloe felt a rush in her chest at those words. _I...I have a friend!_

“I’m uuuh...well...I’m totally queer, dude.”

The air in the room suddenly felt thick. Chloe wasn’t sure what expression she wore, but it unsettled Max.

“I...I’m sorry. I hope that doesn’t like...bother you.”

Chloe knew she needed to provide some comfort here. Max desperately needed reassurance, but Chloe didn’t know what to do. Of course she was okay with Max being queer, but if she fucked this up, she could lose the one friend she had. Chloe quickly decided that all she could do is model herself after the one person that had bothered to show her any respect and kindness.

Without any more hesitation, Chloe reached her hand out, offering it to Max. Chloe gulped and looked down at the pizza box in front of her that was now nearly empty. She felt Max’s small hand slide over her own, and grasp tightly.

Chloe looked up at Max. Max’s warm smile told Chloe that she had done the right thing. Chloe smiled back.

Chloe cleared her throat. “That will never, ever bother me. Anyone who says being gay is wrong is a fucking twat.”

Max smiled wider, “My sentiments exactly. So yeah, um, after a lot of uncomfortable conversations, Warren laid off, and Brooke liked me more.”

“Excuse me for saying this, but uh...that’s kind of petty bullshit.”

Max laughed. “Agreed. They’re fun to be around, though. We all understand each other.”

“You said that your parents know?”

Max nodded, “They do. I know how fortunate I am to have parents that didn’t disown me, but it’s still kind of hard sometimes.”

“What do you mean?”

“My dad is cool with it, but my mom kind of guilt trips me over stupid shit. She’s said stuff like, ‘This isn’t the life I planned for you,’ and ‘What about my grandchildren?’ She isn’t against people being gay, but I don’t think she expected I would ever be that way.”

“That’s so stupid! Just because you’re gay doesn’t mean that your life is any different or that you can’t have children or...whatever!”

“Right! Exactly!”

“I’m sorry.”

“Nah, it’s okay. My dad stands up for me a lot. I don’t know what I would do without him.”

Chloe felt a pang of sadness, wishing she still had her father to confide in. If her father were still alive, she wouldn’t be in her current situation. She longed for that relationship, but she was glad Max had someone in her family to trust.

“That’s great. I’m glad you have him.”

Max nodded.

“So did you...always know you were gay?”

“Hmm...I don’t know. I guess I always knew that I was different, but I didn’t really understand until I was around 13. I dunno...I had these feelings, and I felt ashamed of them, so I internalized them and kept them to myself. It was something I hated and knew I needed to keep away from everyone because it wasn’t ‘normal.’ I always told myself that I couldn’t be that person; I had to keep her hidden away. I would just marry a man and move on with my life. I hated myself so much.”

“Max...that’s horrible.”

“I know. It made my already anxious self even worse. My anxiety became extreme. I felt so out of control that I tried to take control of other things. Like I wouldn’t eat, or I would take multiple, scalding showers in a day and scrub at my skin till it was raw.”

Chloe tightened her grip on Max’s hand. _Jesus Christ._ Chloe’s heart ached for her. Chloe knew a thing or two about keeping yourself hidden and not being your real self. It devastated her to know that this beautiful, happy, kind woman in front of her had to experience that.

“But I am better now. Things are better now because I am honest with myself and who I am. A few years and a lot of therapy later, I am happy with who I am. I love myself. I do keep it hidden at school, but only because I don’t want what comes along with being ‘out’ in high school. Those assholes will not make me feel bad about myself.”

“That’s awesome! Totally understandable.”

“Thank you,” Max smiled. “Are you all done?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

“No problem. I’ll get this cleaned up and grab you another ice pack. We can get the futon set up for you to sleep on and stuff.”

“Okay, cool.” Chloe let go of Max’s hand and stood up to gather trash on the table.

Max began walking around the table toward Chloe, “Chloe, I’m really sorry, but…” ever so gently, Max wrapped her arms around Chloe’s waist and rested her head on her chest. Chloe jumped. She dropped the paper plate and napkin she was holding, and they floated to the ground. Her eyes widened, she held her breath, and she was sure Max could feel how hard her heart was pounding. She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t mind it, but at the same time, she wanted to run. She hadn’t been hugged since her dad passed away, probably.

She placed her shaking hands on Max’s upper back and patted her, not knowing what else she should do. She didn’t want to give Max the impression this bothered her. It didn’t. She wasn’t sure how to react to affection anymore. It was so bizarre, but it felt really nice. Max was her friend now, and friends did this stuff. She had to be there for her.

With each passing second, Chloe began worrying if it was even possible for her to have a friend. Friendship meant sharing, spending time together, doing things for one another. What if she couldn’t do those things? She wanted to be around Max, but what happened when Max discovered what being her friend meant? It meant being blown off when David wouldn’t let her leave, and not being able to understand why. It meant Chloe would risk revealing what David did to her, which would be dangerous for herself and Max. No matter what, it always meant that Chloe would be a shitty friend. She was worthless to everyone, and she was terrified that Max would realize it.

* * *

 

Chloe slept well for the first time in years. While her mind raced with thoughts about her friendship with Max, she couldn’t fight off sleep when she laid her head upon the plush pillow and covered herself with the soft, Egyptian cotton sheets. She slept dreamlessly, feeling only comfort, warmth, and a sense of being at home.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy, folks! Let me just say, it has been a craaaaazy couple of weeks. I haven't had a lot of time to focus on writing, so I feel like this took extra long...maybe not. Anyways, things are starting to slow down, and I'm feeling better. Hopefully this means that I can really focus on the approaching climax of this story. Please let me know what you all think. Your comments give me life.
> 
> As always, I want to give a big thanks to Thanks_for_the_letters for editing this chapter. If you haven't read Monolith yet, go give it a read. The most recent chapter had me in tears, guys. I read fanfiction for moments like that. They are moments that I didn't know I needed, desperately. Be on the look out for that!
> 
> In other news, Thanks_for_the_letters and I have a Discord. If you want to come chat with us about our stories, or if you just want to hang out and talk about cool shit, please come and join us here: https://discord.gg/9nkzhdp
> 
> Personally, I would love to see some LiS memes from you all. Just sayin. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading! I will see you soon :)


	8. Chapter 8

_Mmmmm. I feel so cozy and warm. Sleep more...not...awake…_

_Ugh, fuck you, brain!_

Chloe rolled around under the covers and yawned. _Goddammit. Can’t a girl sleep in on a Saturday?_

_…_

_I smell…_

_BACON!_

Chloe’s eyes flew open. She threw the blanket off herself and went to get up, but hesitated as the pain in her side greeted her. _Fuck._

It was then that she realized she wasn’t in her own house. She whipped her head toward Max’s bed and saw that she wasn’t there. She fidgeted awkwardly, not really sure what to do with herself.

_Should I….go upstairs? What if I’m not allowed up there? Is her mom here? I haven’t met her yet. What if she thinks I’m too grubby to be walking on her carpet? Should I just leave? You shouldn’t assume they are going to feed you again..._

Chloe paced in the living area of Max’s room. Her stomach rumbled, begging for the bacon. She ran her fingers through her hair and started to tug on it to ease her anxiety.

“Oh, you’re awake!”

Chloe jumped but tried to contain it as much as she could. “H-hey,” she said, trying to regain her composure.

“Good morning,” Max smiled brightly. “How did you sleep?”

“Um, really great actually. Thank you for letting me stay.”

“That’s great! You’re welcome.” Max’s smile got even wider. “Are you hungry? My dad made chocolate chip pancakes. We can eat, and then I can take you home.”

“I...uuuh…”

“You’re welcome to stay if you want! I didn’t say that to rush you out or anything. We can like...watch another movie or something. I don’t know.” Max crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame.

Chloe struggled with Max’s hospitality, not really understanding why anyone would want her to stick around. Chloe rubbed the back of her neck.

“I should probably go home. You’ve fed me once already and-“

“There’s coffee,” Max mentioned, knowing Chloe would probably have to be conned into eating.

“I think I’ve already overstayed my welcome.”

“And pancakes with delicious, chocolate-y morsels and butter and syrup…”

“My mom is probably going to have a cow if I don’t-“

“Eggs?”

“And step-dick is probably angry enough and-“

“Bacon?”

Chloe stopped speaking, knowing that she had shown her bacon weakness.

“Ahaha, there it is. I swear, your eyes dilated so much when I said that they looked black.”

“Are you sure it’s okay that I stay, though? I don’t want to-“

Before Chloe could finish her sentence, Max grabbed her wrist and began pulling her up the stairs. Chloe tensed instantaneously. “Welp, it looks like the only way I’m gonna be able to teach you is by force. You’re coming upstairs, and you’re eating food.”

Chloe didn’t like the way Max said that. She became increasingly more alarmed as she was being pulled up the stairs. The hand snug around her wrist, the pulling, forcing her upstairs. Chloe knew that Max didn’t do these things to her, but it was still freaking her out. “Max, l-let go,” Chloe stammered as she tried pulling her wrist away.

When Max didn’t let go, she began to full on panic. “Max, please let go of me!” Chloe ripped her arm away from Max as hard as she could.

Max turned to Chloe, startled. As Chloe ran back into her room to grab her bag Max pleaded, “Oh my god, Chloe I’m so sorry. What did I do? Did I hurt you?”

Chloe didn’t respond. She moved past Max, picked up her boots and opened the front door.

“Chloe, wait!” Max reached out her hand to touch her, to offer comfort, but Chloe flinched away. Their eyes connected, realization dawning on Max, embarrassment erupting on Chloe’s face. Neither woman said a word as Chloe ran out the door, shoeless.

With a hand over her mouth and tears spilling from her eyes, Max watched Chloe run down the street. She had unintentionally crossed a line but resolved to do whatever it took to earn Chloe’s forgiveness. Without another thought, Max bolted out the door after her.

* * *

 

Chloe slowed to a walk. Her eyes brimmed with tears. She tried her best to hold them back, but a few tears escaped and made their way down her face.

_Goddammit! Do you have to be such a fucking pussy? Surely, she didn’t mean anything by it. She’s not him. In fact, she’s probably the person that is the least like him on this earth. You’re such a fucking idiot!_

She slammed her fist into her forehead a few times in frustration. She had no idea how she was going to explain this to Max. Not to mention, what she had just done was incredibly rude. She left without saying goodbye, without thanking the family for their hospitality, and without thanking Max for one of the best nights she’s ever had.

_You just started making a friend, and you already burned that bridge._

“Chloe!”

Surprised, Chloe looked up from her spot on the ground to see Max running toward her. _What the fuck is she doing here? She ran after me?_ Chloe quickly turned her face away from Max and wiped the tears from her eyes.

Sweating and out of breath, Max sat down next to Chloe. “Chloe...I’m so sorry.”

Chloe nodded in response.

“I think...I think I understand what happened.” Chloe remained silent but listened intently to Max. Max chose her words carefully,“You’re not...safe at home, are you?”

Chloe faced Max. She was so angry that Max knew, but she was even more ashamed of herself. It was her fault. Chloe took a shuddering breath, and her eyes released the torrent she was attempting to hold back.

Max moved closer to Chloe, gently placing her hand on Chloe’s back. Chloe didn’t react negatively to the contact, so she moved closer and embraced Chloe as she sobbed. “I am so sorry, Chloe.” She rested her chin on Chloe’s lowered head. “I know I did something to trigger you. It’s my fault.”

Chloe sniffed, “N-no. If I could just keep it the fuck together-”

“No, Chloe. This isn’t your fault. You did what you needed to do. It’s okay.”

As Chloe continued to sob, Max rubbed her back. After some time she asked, “So is it...what did you call him? Step-dick? Mr. Madsen?”

Chloe felt like she was going to be sick. She feared that if Max knew, it would put her in danger as well. Now, they both would have to cope with that reality.

“You...how did you...?”

“Ssshh. Relax. You’re okay. I just thought back to what you were saying earlier when I was trying to convince you to stay. I’m sorry, I was talking over you thinking you were just being your timid self, and I missed the signs that I was making you uncomfortable.” Max held her tighter as Chloe started to shake. “Come back with me, Chloe. Let’s go back to my room and chill for a bit. We can talk there. This person’s yard probably isn’t the best place,” Max chuckled.

Chloe nodded. Max offered her hand to help Chloe off the ground. Chloe grabbed on and didn’t let go.

* * *

Once inside the house, Max led Chloe to her room and successfully dodged her parents after kicking off their shoes.

“Shit, Chloe, your foot is bleeding.”

 “Fuck, sorry.” Chloe hopped into the bathroom, sat on the toilet seat, and removed her sock. Sure enough there was a cut on the bottom of her foot. “Did I get blood on the carpet?”

“Maybe a little, but don’t worry about it. Hey, this might be kinda weird, but can I convince you to take a bubble bath? The stuff I have is supposed to relax you. I think it would make you feel better. Plus, we gotta get you cleaned up anyway. If my parents see you like that, they might start asking questions.”

That was the last thing Chloe wanted. “Uh y-yeah. Sure. Whatever.” It was kind of weird, but she could live with it. “Are you sure? You don’t have to waste your bubble bath on me.”

“Anything spent on you _is_ _not_ a waste.”

_Okay, that might be the sweetest thing ever said to me._

Max turned the water on in her tub and started Chloe’s bath. She grabbed a bottle of bubble bath and poured a generous amount into the tub. “Here’s a towel and washcloth. Use whatever you want. Let me know if you need anything. Cool?”

Chloe gave her a thumbs up. “Thank you.”

“No problem at all, Chlo. I’ll be right out here, kay?”

Chloe nodded, and Max shut the door. Chloe walked in front of the mirror to look at the damage. She looked exhausted and like total shit. _My usual aesthetic_. Her eyes were red, her hair was going in several different directions, and there was still snot trying to escape her nose. She was sweaty from the run. She removed her shirt and looked at the massive bruise on her side. It was still sore as hell. _Lookin’ good, Price._

* * *

 

Max shut the bathroom door for Chloe and rested her head against the door for a moment. She needed to explain to her parents what was going on, but she didn’t want them to freak out or scare Chloe off. Maybe if she explained only what she needed from them and not why she needed it, they would leave it be for now. The important thing was that right at this moment, Chloe was fine. Fine-ish.

Max trudged up the stairs and into the kitchen where her father stood at the stove, finishing off a few pancakes. “Hey, pumpkin. Everything okay?”

“Maxine, what’s going on?” Vanessa interjected from the dining room table, sipping her coffee.

“Chloe had a panic attack, mom. She’s okay now, I think. She’s taking a bath downstairs.”

“And why did she run off down the street? I’m sure she’s going to be featured in the neighborhood gossip this weekend.”

“Like I said, she panicked and felt like she had to get out of here. I’ve had similar reactions, as you know, so it really isn’t all that strange.” Max glared at her mother not understanding how she could give two shits about what the neighbors said.

“I need your help with some things. Dad, can I borrow some of your old pajamas? I don’t think Chloe has any clean clothes.”

“Yeah, no problem.” He motioned toward their room with his spatula. “You know where to find them.”

“The second thing, I know it’s a lot to ask, but I was wondering if Chloe could stay here when she needed to. I get the feeling that...” she took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. “I feel like she might be in some trouble. And I thought, if it was okay with you, that she could stay with us sometimes. Or just come over for a while.”

Ryan and Vanessa looked at each other, puzzled. “What do you mean by ‘trouble,’ sweetie?” Ryan asked.

Max didn’t know exactly what was going on at Chloe’s house, but she had a really good idea. If she told them what she currently knew, surely they would take it too far, get involved, and possibly make Chloe’s life worse. She had to choose her words very carefully.

“Well, you know, she...struggles with her grades and doesn’t really have any friends. Her step-dad is the security guard at school, and he’s a real tight-ass.”

“Maxine!”

“Well, he is!”

“Honey, he might be, but you should show him some respect.”

That is the last thing Mr. Madsen deserved. “I think she needs a place to be herself is all I’m saying. I don’t think her mom is home very often. She barely eats, dad. Seriously. I had to convince her to eat more pizza last night because she was afraid it would burden us.” She hoped this would be distracting enough to get them to forget the question.

Ryan stroked his beard and looked at Vanessa. They communicated wordlessly. After a few moments, Vanessa spoke, “That’s probably fine, as long as she behaves herself and doesn’t make a mess. If your grades start to slip, it’s over.”

“She certainly won’t be going hungry today. Get that girl up here so we can start on this pile of food.”

“You got it. Thank you both so much. She’s really important to me.”

Ryan winked at Max as she walked toward the bedroom to grab Chloe some clothes.

* * *

 

Chloe sat in the warm bath water, luxuriating in the comfort the eucalyptus and mint foam provided. After cleaning up, she began playing with the bubbles creating herself a bubble beard and a bubble hat. “Arrrrr,” she said, creating a hook with her finger.

There was a quiet knock at the door. “Chloe?”

Chloe immediately quit goofing around. “Yeah?”

“I’m gonna slide some clothes in for you so you don’t have to wear the others. Hopefully they will be a bit more comfortable. There are bandaids under the sink if you need one for your foot. Dad says breakfast is ready, so if you’re hungry you should come on up.”

“Okay. Thanks, Max.”

“You’re welcome!”

Chloe dunked her head under to get rid of the bubble face she created, and then got out of the tub to dry off.

The clothes were a bit baggy, but they fit okay. Max had given her pajama pants with a bunch of guitars with wings. Underneath each guitar it said, “ROCK.” The shirt she was given was a grey and blue Seattle Thunderbirds shirt. _This has some serious dad vibes, but okay._

Chloe ran her fingers through her hair to tame it as best she could and made her way upstairs to face the Caulfield family. Her stomach flipped when she reached the top of the stairs. Max was waiting there for her, smiling. She reached out her hand, which Chloe quickly took.

“Just breathe. They won’t be horrible, I promise. Are you hungry?”

Chloe nodded and gulped.

“Good, come on.”

Max led her into the dining room where her parents sat waiting to eat.

“Good morning, Chloe!” Ryan bellowed. “Please sit where you’d like.”

“Hi, Chloe. I’m Vanessa, Max’s mom.” She held out her hand for Chloe to shake, which Chloe did to be respectful.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Caulfield.”

“Oh no, honey. Vanessa is fine.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Vanessa smiled at her and then at Max. “Well, she is certainly polite.”

“Oh, Nessa, leave her be. She’s nervous enough, I’m sure.”

Chloe sat down at the chair across from Max in between Ryan and Vanessa. “Well, have at it girls, before it gets too cold.”

Chloe helped herself to a pancake and a couple pieces of bacon. They ate in silence for a while until Ryan cleared his throat, “So Chloe, Max tells us you’re quite the whiz at chemistry. She said that you’re actually better than her.”

Chloe didn’t really know what to say. “Uh, yeah, I really like science, but Max is brilliant. Without her, I probably wouldn’t be passing.”

“Well, I’m glad you two found each other, then,” he smiled. “Have you heard the joke about the two helium atoms?

Chloe shook her head, “No, sir.”

“HeHe.”

Chloe snorted. Max was appalled. “Oh my dog, Dad! That was the worst joke of all time.”

Vanessa chuckled, “Ryan, I’m gonna agree with Max on that one. That was awful.”

“Well, at least Chloe understands me,” he pouted as he added more pancakes to Chloe’s plate.

* * *

“I hope that wasn’t too horrible. I’m sorry my dad is such a dork,” Max said, shutting her bedroom door and leading Chloe over to the futon.

“He’s great. I like him.”

“Of course you do, because you’re a dork too.”

Chloe smiled and shook her head, sitting down next to Max.

“Are you doing okay?” Max asked, reaching for Chloe’s hand.

“Yeah. Sorry about earlier.” Chloe accepted her hand, and Max stroked it lightly with her thumb.

“Don’t you dare apologize for that. It wasn’t your fault.” Max scooted closer to Chloe and took her into her arms. “Is this okay?”

Chloe nodded but didn’t ease into the embrace.

“You should text your mom. Stay the night again. I already asked my parents if you could stay. You can go home, but honestly, I don’t want you out of my sight. Like I said, we can just chill and watch a movie or play video games or whatever. We can talk. What do you say?”

Chloe nodded, “Okay.” She got up off of the futon to find her phone in her pants. She texted Joyce.

 **Chloe:** Hey mom can I stay at Max’s again tonight?

Her phone began ringing almost immediately. “Fuck,” Chloe said, exasperated.

She answered, “Yeah?”

“Chloe, are you really at Max’s?”

“Yes, mom.” Chloe rolled her eyes. 

“Well, then let me talk to one of her parents!”

“Seriously? Why?” Chloe knew that David had planted some idea in her mother’s head, but she wanted to hear the bullshit excuse.

“Because, I want to make sure you are where you say you are and that you’re safe.”

 _That’s rich._ “Fine, just give me a sec.” She asked Max quietly, “Do you think one of your parents would talk to my mom?”

“Yeah, of course. Come with me."

They went upstairs and quickly found Ryan. “Mr. Caul-Ryan, can you please talk to my mom? She wants to make sure that I am where I say I am.”

He nodded and took Chloe’s phone, “This is Ryan Caulfield. Hello, Joyce. Yes, Chloe is here at our house. Sure, it’s 178 Arbor Lane. No problem. Let me give you my phone number…”

“Is she always this...controlling?”

“No, but sometimes he gives her ideas.” Max nodded in understanding.

“Thank you, Joyce. It’s a pleasure having her here. Feel free to call me any time. Yeah. Sure, here’s Chloe.”

“Satisfied?”

“Yes, you can stay.” With that, Joyce hung up the phone.

 _Alrighty then._ “Well now that that’s over…”

“Let’s go downstairs. We need to finish our Back to the Future marathon!”

* * *

 

About an hour into Part II, Chloe started nodding off. Max glanced over at her when her head lolled back for the third time. “You can nap if you need to. It was kind of a...stressful morning. Honestly, I could use one myself. There’s a reason I don’t run for the track team,” Max giggled.

Chloe looked ashamed, “I’m sorry.”

“No, Chloe, it’s okay. I was only kidding. I’m the only person who should be sorry. I don’t know if you want to talk about this now, but what happened? Can you tell me what I did, because I would like to avoid it.”

Chloe nodded, “You grabbed my wrist and started pulling me. You said something about forcing me. It freaked me out.”

“Come here.” She patted her thigh and motioned for Chloe to lay down on her lap. “Lay. Get comfortable.” Chloe did as she was told. When her head rested on Max’s lap, Max ran her fingers through her hair giving Chloe goosebumps. _Okay, yes, I can live with this._ It made it more difficult for her to keep her eyes open.

“I’m sorry that I scared you. I should have known better. It still stands that you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Ever.”

Chloe nodded.

“I made a mistake today. I just wanted you to know you’re welcome here. Even more so now. If you go home tomorrow and decide you can’t be there anymore, you call me, and I will come and get you. I don’t want you to worry about bothering me or anything like that. You need me, I’ll be there, at the speed of light. Okay?”

“Got it. Well, if you’re getting there that fast, I take it you won’t be running?”

Max laughed, “You’re such an ass. I’m being serious right now.”

“Max, can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because I care about you.”

“Why?”

Max ran her fingers through Chloe’s hair one last time. “Look at me.” She tilted Chloe’s chin toward her and caressed her cheek. “Because you deserve it.”

Chloe didn’t ask anymore questions. Max resumed stroking her hair until Chloe fell asleep in her lap.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It feels like ages since I last posted. Has it only been two weeks? What is time, guys? Answer me that. 
> 
> I really like this chapter because I feel like it's what Chloe needs more than anything. I think Max is one of the most precious humans. In the game, she may have left Chloe for 5 years, and that is horrible. It was a mistake, and she knows that. She spends her time with Chloe making sure that Chloe feels valued and letting her know that she still cares about her. We are all humans. We all fuck up sometimes, and that's okay. Max did not argue with Chloe and ignore how Chloe felt. She accepted it without question and tried to figure out how to fix their relationship. Max is a flawed person, but also a really great one. 
> 
> That kind of went off the rails, but I've been seeing a lot of Max hate recently. I will tell you all why you're wrong! ahahaha
> 
> Aside from that, Ryan Caulfield is what I would be like as a parent probably. I have an endless supply of dad jokes. In fact, I made a pun when speaking to Thanks_for_the_letters the other day, and I seriously thought he was never gonna talk to me again ahaha. It was a really bad one, I'll admit. 
> 
> Thank you Thanks_for_the_letters for putting up with my dad puns and for the work you do. If you haven't already, go check out Monolith. It has provided closure that I didn't know I needed. Go read it. 
> 
> I also want to shout out Blackadder261 for his help as well. He joined us on our Discord server and has been helping us out with brainstorming and such. Thank you!
> 
> If you'd like to join us on Discord, please use the following link https://discord.gg/9nkzhdp
> 
> There are not a lot of places that I can talk about fanfiction, so if you guys want to come talk with us, please feel free. You can post whatever you want in there! If you want to share music, memes, movie/book recommendations, anything LiS, talk about other fanfics or have recommendations for those, we are open to all of that. Come join us :)
> 
> Thank you for your continued support. You guys blow me away! I'm anxious to hear what you all are thinking, so please drop a comment!
> 
> Until next time...


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CONTENT WARNING: graphic abuse and homophobia

“Okay, I came up with some signals, in-person and some for when you text or call, so we can communicate without anyone knowing what’s going on. It’s pretty brilliant, if I do say so myself.” Max smirked and handed a slip of paper to Chloe.

**In person, wave:**

**5 fingers: Everything is fine.**  
**4 fingers: Can you walk with me?**  
**3 fingers: I might not be able to go home.**  
**2 fingers: I can't go home today.**  
**1 finger: I need someone to intervene/call the cops. I am in danger.**  
  
**For text messages or phone calls:**  
  
**DEFCON 5: No code phrase**  
**DEFCON 4: Where'd you go?**  
**DEFCON 3: Yo, Maxamil.**  
**DEFCON 2: You going somewhere?**  
**DEFCON 1: I wish I could see the lighthouse.**

Chloe looked over the list as worry erupted within her. She didn’t want to give Max the impression that she was unappreciative, but getting her involved at all worried her. If David figured out that Max knew…she really didn’t want to think about the possibilities. She forced a smile and said, “I think it’s really good. Unless you’re us, no one would suspect. Great job...Maxamil.” Chloe chuckled at the nickname.

“Hey, you can’t call me that! If you do, I’ll think something is wrong.”

“But I can call you other nicknames?”

Max pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows. “Like?”

Chloe took a deep breath and unleashed her pun powers, “Mad Max, Bat Max, Maxaroni, Spider Max, Maximus, Baymax, Maxipad, Maximus Prime-”

“MAXIPAD?! I’m torn between being impressed and furious!”

Chloe laughed, “Thanks for this, though.” She shoved the slip of paper in her pocket, hoping she would never have to use it, or worse, explain to Max why she didn’t ask for her help when she needed it. Having Max involved at all truly terrified Chloe. She didn’t want her to get hurt. _If something happened to her because of me....I couldn’t live with myself._

Chloe returned to her sketchbook in front of her at the picnic table. She was working on a RejeX-Men comic while Max pored over a binder of her photographs. It was a really nice day for October which allowed them to work outside on the Blackhell lawn.

In the few weeks since Max’s birthday party, several things had changed for Chloe. Not only did she have a friend, but she had several people that spoke to her at school on a regular basis. At first it was a bit disconcerting for her, but Chloe quickly adapted and even enjoyed being around Max’s friends. They spent time together talking or playing games which Chloe particularly liked. She was developing her own D&D character from scratch, but currently she played as Callamastia, elf barbarian. The group wasn’t quite used to her style of play. Everyone was shocked when Chloe chose to “punch that stupid man cow right in the dick” when fighting Duurgaron, but now it was an inside joke amongst them.

Her favorite person, aside from Max, obviously, was Kate. Kate always made sure Chloe felt included and welcomed. An extra special bonus to spending time with Kate was getting to hold Alice. Chloe found the exceptionally cute, super soft bunny extremely comforting, and she provided Chloe with something to do when she didn’t want to participate in conversation.

Perhaps the biggest change was that Chloe had a place she could go any time she wanted that wasn’t home. If she wasn’t so worried about the family thinking she was taking advantage of them, she would have permanently lived with the Caulfields, but she didn’t want to burden them. She wasn’t their responsibility, and their generosity was too much at times. Chloe had been spending a majority of every weekend at the Caulfield residence, which she was pretty sure her mom (and David) appreciated. One weekend, the Caulfields offered to take Chloe to the grocery store with them so she could pick out some things she needed or wanted to eat. Chloe adamantly declined, but the gesture made her that much more comfortable with them.

While spending time away from the house was definitely helping, time that Chloe had to spend at home was far from pleasant. After returning home from Max’s party, David had instated a new rule: Chloe was forbidden from entering the bathroom.

As Chloe desperately tried to open the door to the bathroom, David leaned in the bedroom doorway with a smirk, watching her struggle. “You worried your mother and you sidestepped my authority. Do you know how _bad_ that made us feel, Chloe?”

Chloe didn’t answer his question. She was so frantic and enraged she didn’t hold back her opinion on the matter. “Oh yeah. Brilliant idea, dude. Things are about to get reeeeeally nasty in this house if you don’t let me in there.”

He approached and leaned in toward her face. His nose almost touched hers. His breath smelled like stale beer. “You do as I say, do you hear me? You get to go in when I think you understand how _bad_ we felt when you didn’t follow the rules.”

David made Chloe sweat it out for few hours before he let her in the bathroom. When he did, he made her leave the door open while she went. Chloe had never felt so humiliated. To make things worse, David had removed all of Chloe’s clothing from her closet and dresser while she was at Max’s. With David’s new “no bathroom” rule, she wasn’t able to shower, and honestly, she feared he’d watch if she asked to take one.

After the third day of telling Max nothing was wrong, Max called bullshit. Ashamed, Chloe mumbled through an explanation and tried her best to cover up the whole truth. She didn’t want to explain stepdick had reached a new level of creepy, afraid that Max would be so disgusted that she would never talk to her again.

This rule/punishment lasted for a week or so before David got tired of it. Chloe didn’t whine or beg, so it wasn’t enjoyable for him anymore, which was Max’s idea. Plus, it was clear that Chloe was bathing and getting clean clothes elsewhere. David returned all of Chloe’s clothes in a giant pile in the middle of her room reeking of gasoline and musty basement. It wasn’t ideal, but having more than one set of clothes was an improvement.

“Chlo...can you promise me that you’ll let me know when something happens?”

“Sure, Max.”

Max grabbed Chloe’s free hand. “I’m serious, Chlo. I know you don’t want me to say anything about it to anyone, and doing this would just….make me feel better. I...I need to know that you’re okay.”

Chloe gently caressed Max’s hand, “I know, Max. I’ll do it. Thank you for giving a shit.”

Max gave Chloe a wink. “I think it’s about time to head back in. I need to catch every second of Jefferson’s long-winded, narcissistic lecture and Victoria trying to get into his pants.”

Chloe snorted. “Gross.”

Max walked Chloe to her math class, and then took off down the hall toward the photography classroom with a wave. “See you later! Have a good class!”

As Chloe reached for the handle, a strong hand gripped her upper arm. She knew who it was, there was no need to look. She stood, frozen in place. He said, “With me. Now.”

He pulled her away from the door and shoved her in front of them. Students parted before Chloe, trying their best to avoid Mr. Madsen’s wrath. _At least I’m not the only one afraid of him_.

David led her to his office which just happened to be far away from any other human that could help her. She thought about trying to discreetly text Max, but she didn’t think it was possible with David hovering over her.

She opened the door to his office and headed in. Moments after he shut the door, Chloe was thrown against the wall, David’s full weight pressed into her. She couldn’t move.

“I heard a VERY interesting rumor this afternoon. I heard that your little ‘friend’ is a dyke.”

Chloe’s eyes widened. She hoped he couldn’t see. _Who the fuck?!_

“Your generation disgusts me. You’re just a bunch of entitled fuckin’ snowflakes.” He grabbed a fistfull of Chloe’s hair and slammed her face against the wall. “All of the bullshit nowadays about acceptance, it’s such a joke. This is what’s wrong with America.”

He slammed her head against the wall again, making her see stars. “You know what we did to faggots in my hometown? Huh?” Chloe shook her head, fear escalated in her gut.

David snickered, “Well, I suggest keeping your _lessons_ private unless you’d like to find out.”

Chloe became enraged, but she couldn’t do anything about it. She struggled against him trying to get an arm free because she wanted nothing more than to destroy this asshole.

“Aww, did I strike a nerve?” He slammed her head against the wall once more. “Wait....are you a dyke too, Chloe?”

Slowly, Chloe shook her head back and forth.

“I need you to answer me.”

Her voice was weaker than she had hoped. “No. No, sir.”

“Good. Because if you are...I might have to teach you something else.” David released her, throwing her toward the door. “Get the fuck out. I don’t want to see you tonight. Sleep under a bridge for all I care.”

Chloe ran to the nearest bathroom as quickly as she could. She saw herself in the mirror; a drop of blood rolled down her temple. She tried her best to calm herself. _Who the fuck outed Max? When I find out, I’m going to fucking kill them. Should I tell Max what happened? How am I gonna explain the split eyebrow? “Oh yeah, no big deal Max. Just a papercut. Got really excited about my math notes, and I needed them on my face.” Yeah, I’m sure she will buy that. Goddammit._

They were in trouble. Max was in even more danger being around her than she realized. Now that she was on David’s radar, she deserved to know. She couldn’t let her go unprepared or unprotected.

With shaking hands, she pulled her phone out of her pocket.

 **Chloe:** Yo, Maxamil.

After a few more moments she sent another.

 **Chloe:** You going somewhere?

* * *

The car ride to Max’s was... tense, to say the least. Max kept gulping, so Chloe knew she was holding back tears. Chloe understood it was a lot of information to take in. She knew the feeling all too well.

“Max, I shouldn’t have laid all that on you back there. I-”

“Yes, you should have. Don’t apologize.”

“I swear I didn’t tell anyone.”

“I know you didn’t, Chlo.”

Max pulled the car into the Caulfield driveway and threw the car into park. Without a word, Max got out of the car, grabbed her backpack and rushed toward the house. _Fuck, she is so pissed at me._

Chloe decided to give Max a bit of space. When she entered the house a few minutes later, she heard a gut-wrenching sob coming from the basement. _Oh no…_

Chloe rushed down the steps and opened the door to see Max on her knees just inside the entrance, like she couldn’t hold back any longer and just collapsed.

Chloe went to her, unsure if she would be welcomed or rejected. Clearly, Max had been waiting for some privacy. Chloe knelt in front of her and grabbed her hand. Max raised her head to look in Chloe’s eyes. Chloe’s heart broke in that moment.

“Max, I’m so sorry. I’m gonna figure it out. Whoever outed you...I’ll find them.”

Max shook her head. “It’s not that, Chlo. I mean, yeah that sucks, but that...rat bastard put his hands on you seconds after I left. I thought you were safe, and you weren’t.” She cried harder.

Chloe was confused. She told Max that someone had started a rumor that Max was gay, and that David had heard and threatened to hurt her, and she was feeling guilty because Chloe got a little banged up?

“M-max. What’re you...don’t worry about that.” Slowly, Chloe scooted forward. She reached toward Max, unsure of how she would react. Without hesitation, Max fell into Chloe’s arms.

“But I do. I do worry about it. I can’t keep you safe when we’re apart even for two fucking seconds.”

Chloe stroked Max’s hair because it felt like the right thing to do. “I’m more worried about you. The things he said...I can’t let him hurt you. I won’t let him hurt you.”

“I know you won’t, but I really, really don’t want to see the aftermath.” Max gripped Chloe’s shirt in her hands. “We can’t let him continue this. Every time you go home, I’m afraid it’s the last time I’m gonna see you.”

Chloe didn’t know what to say. She wanted to apologize for involving Max in her life, for not being strong enough to keep her away from the shit. This is exactly what she had been afraid of the second she realized they were friends. She held Max tighter, knowing she didn’t deserve her friendship.

“I know what you’re thinking, and you can stop now,” Max giggled. It sounded funny with her stuffy nose.

“What?”

Max pulled away and held Chloe’s shoulders. “It’s not your fault, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Tentatively, Chloe reached toward Max’s face and wiped some tears away with her thumb. She huffed, “You’re quite the mind reader, Super Max.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *crawls out from under a rock* Heeeeeey.
> 
> I know I missed my usual two week mark, but CRAZY THINGS have happened. I was working a second job and working my buns off. I went on a little vacation to see some of my favorite podcasters from And That's Why We Drink (paranormal and true crime, if you're into it), AND my girlfriend proposed to me, so I guess I'm getting married now hahaha. Anyways, crazy weeks. I apologize for the delay. 
> 
> As you know, Thanks_for_the_letters has been doing a fantastic job beta-ing for me, and because of all of his help, I felt that he deserved authorship. So yay!!! We do a lot of brainstorming together and his ideas are great. He deserves some credit here. Also, a very special thank you to Blackadder261 who provides both of us with a lot of help and support. 
> 
> One last announcement, if you guys are at all into cosplay and like watching Pricefield videos, please go visit Jessy & Sam on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJlcl6ZDKNqW046MiEK5ehw
> 
> I think they are so adorable, and they help fill a void for me. I hope you guys enjoy too. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for your support. I hope you're still enjoying despite the content and the delay. I can't wait to hear you feedback!  
> You wanna come hang out with us on Discord? Go here: https://discord.gg/9nkzhdp
> 
> Edit 23/5/19 @ 17:51 GMT: Hi, this is Letters to say the DEFCONs were a last second brainwave I had before I fell asleep one time.


	10. Chapter 10

“Hmm uhh…did you know that the chainsaw was originally invented to be used during childbirth.” 

“No way!” 

“Yes way! Using it wasn’t too popular until they invented anesthesia, though.”

“Oh dog,” Max covered her eyes in horror. “Why do you know these things?” Chloe shrugged in response. 

For the past 30 minutes Chloe had been trying to calm Max as much as she could. She didn’t really know what to say, so she started stating random facts she had stored away. Max didn’t understand what was happening at first, but realized quickly that it was making her feel better.

Max and Chloe sat together, curled up on the futon, Max leaning into Chloe’s side. Chloe had her arm wrapped around Max. 

Max sighed and nuzzled closer to Chloe. “Thanks, Chlo. Sorry, I kinda had a melt down there.” 

“Hey, if I’m not allowed to apologize, you aren’t either. It’s no problem. You would’ve done the same for me. You  _ have  _ done the same for me.”

“I wish...I wish this wasn’t a thing. I want him gone.”

“Me too. Believe me.” Chloe ran her hand through her hair and sighed. Chloe realized suddenly the pressure of Max’s body against her own. Awkwardly, she cleared her throat and removed her arm from around Max. “Sorry. Uh.” Max gave Chloe a sad smile as she stood up. In Chloe’s mind it seemed logical. If she and Max parted ways, David would no longer be a threat. Problem solved. It wouldn’t be a thing for her anymore. Chloe knew she never should have let their relationship get this far, but it was so easy. It felt too good. Now, it was time to go back to reality. 

“So, um...I think that the best way to handle this is for me to distance myself from you. If we do that, you won’t be on his radar anymore. It’s safer that way. I can leave now, and we’ll wait it out until he forgets.” Chloe picked up her backpack from the floor and wrapped it around her shoulders.

Max’s gentle smile quickly turned to a frown. Frustrated, she said, “Chloe, that’s not a solution. In fact, I think that’s the worst thing we could do. And, you’re fucking high if you think I’m letting you go home tonight.”

Chloe was a little shocked at Max’s word choice. She didn’t speak that way often, and especially not toward Chloe. “It’s only until the whole thing blows over. We just do the tutoring thing after school to keep Grant off my back and pretend like we aren’t friends. He’ll get bored like with the bathroom thing and no more problem.”

Max leaned forward, her elbows on her knees, her fingers clutched onto her own hair. “Uuuuggggh, dammit Chloe, don’t you see? Don’t you see what he’s doing?”

Chloe’s own frustration was starting to build. “I don’t understand what you’re NOT seeing. If you stay away from me, there’s no more threat!”

Max got to her feet, her voice rising. “That doesn’t help SHIT, Chloe! YOU still have to deal with it. YOU are the one that has to cope with the isolation. He’s controlling you by threatening me! If I step aside, you still get hurt!”

“I’ve done it for years now, I can deal with it. It doesn’t fucking matter anymore.”

“Yes, yes it does!” Max took a step closer to Chloe. “It’s a goddamn cycle. It won’t stop until we make it fucking stop! He WANTS you away from me. He WANTS to make you feel like shit and friendless. It’s how he keeps you under his thumb!”

“I said I’m not gonna let him hurt you! If this is what it takes, then so be it. You have to play the game to win.” 

“It’s a game you can’t win, Chloe! You’re delusional if you think you can! I’m not going to sit here and watch it happen.” 

“Good! You don’t fucking have to! Why does it even matter to you, huh?! Without me, you don’t have to worry about this shit anymore.”

**“BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT YOU, ASSHOLE! I WILL NEVER STOP WORRYING ABOUT YOU!”**

Chloe didn’t have a retort. Her and Max stared at each other, nose to nose, out of breath, seething. Neither moved or backed down from the other, testing the other’s resolve. Chloe felt a fire in her stomach. A rush of excitement mixed with uncertainty. Ultimately, her mind rested on confusion.  _ What is happening right now? _

“DINNERRRRR!!!” Ryan Caulfield shouted from upstairs. 

Chloe jumped. “Fuck! Jesus Christ…”

Max was still furious. Chloe noted Max’s red cheeks, her clenched jaw, balled fists, and glistening eyes. It made her think of their first real interaction months ago. When Max believed in something, she defended it to the end. Chloe didn’t know how to respond. Ashamed, she looked down at her feet.  _ What the fuck? Why are we arguing? What am I doing? _

Max looked at the floor. Her voice shook when she spoke. “You’re my best friend, Chloe. I know if you had it your way, I never would have found out, but I know now. I can’t forget about it and pretend it doesn’t happen. I can’t pretend that sick  _ fuck  _ is going to lay off because I’m no longer in your life. If that’s really what you want,” she sniffed, “then I’ll stay true to my word. We don’t have to be friends. But if you think for one second I’m going to stop fighting for you...you’re dead fucking wrong.”

Chloe didn’t have any words. She felt sick, chilled, and unsure of what she should do. 

“Go,” Max commanded. “Tell my parents I’ll be up in a few minutes.” 

* * *

The Caulfield table was unusually quiet that evening. Noticing the tension between the two girls, Ryan and Vanessa tried to lighten the mood by talking about their day. They found it odd that neither girl jumped in.

Chloe didn’t ask for seconds or dessert. Max didn’t laugh at any of Ryan’s jokes. While Chloe played with the remaining food on her plate and Max picked at a thread on her cloth napkin, Vanessa thought of just the thing that might cheer the girls up and get them talking. 

“So...are you girls going to the Halloween festival tomorrow?”

After a quick glance at Chloe, Max responded, “Dunno. We haven’t talked about it.”

“I can’t believe you’re not more excited! You’ve always loved the Halloween festival. Chloe, when Max was younger, she would always want to dress up and enter the costume contest. So precious.”

Ryan chuckled, “And of course our little Maxie never chose any of the classic little girl costumes. Oh no. No princess, no ballerina, nothing like that.”

“Our favorite was the ‘mad scientist’ phase. You remember that costume, honey?” Vanessa asked Max. 

Max rolled her eyes. “Yeah.”

“It was so precious,” Vanessa explained, speaking mostly to Chloe. “We got her this lab coat, which was a little too big, but it worked. There was this pair of glasses we found that magnified her eyes. So cute.”

“Don’t forget the hair,” Ryan added. 

“Oh my god, the hair. Max insisted on white hair paint. We sprayed it in her hair and made it stand on end. I’ve  _ got  _ to find a picture. It’ll be perfect for your graduation party next year.”

Despite her unease, Chloe found herself smirking. Max was such a dork. The coolest dork she knew.

She looked at Max for the first time since they came upstairs. Max grinned and shook her head. When Chloe started to giggle, Max flipped her off. 

“Maxine!” Vanessa scolded.

* * *

Chloe paced in Max’s room while she waited for her to come downstairs. She chewed on her nails and tried to decide where she should start. When Chloe heard her light footsteps on the stairs, her anxiety ratcheted up another level. Max entered and shut the door carefully behind her. They locked eyes but said nothing.

Max bit her lip. Chloe chewed on the inside of her cheek. 

“I’m sorry,” Chloe conceded. 

“Me too. I’m sorry.” 

More silence.

“I don’t actually want to stop being friends with you,” Chloe admitted. 

“I’m glad.” Max looked at the floor. 

“W-what...what happened? I didn’t mean to upset you.” 

Max sighed, “Chlo…”

Max walked toward her. Chloe clamped her eyes shut expecting the worst. She felt like she deserved to be punched in the mouth for upsetting Max. Chloe wouldn’t blame her if she did. 

Instead, Max’s arms wrapped around Chloe’s waist. Her head rested on Chloe’s chest. “You mean so much to me. You know that right?”

“I don’t understand why.”

“Do I mean a lot to you?”

Chloe wrapped her arms around Max’s small frame. “Of course. How could you ask me that?”

Max chuckled. “You see? I can’t believe that you question me either.”

Chloe nodded.

“I know you’re trying to keep me safe. Thank you for that, but you don’t have to worry about me.”

“Sure I do. I haven’t stopped worrying pretty much since I’ve met you.” 

“Chlo, do you understand what would happen if David laid a hand on me? Seriously.”

“I don’t want to think about that.”

Max continued, “Do you know what my dad does for a living?”

Chloe shook her head, looking a Max quizzically, wondering why that was relevant. 

“Chloe...my dad is a lawyer.”

“Okay.”

“Okay? If that bastard so much as breathes on me, and I tell my dad, my dad would have him in prison faster than you can say ‘lawsuit.’”

“What?”

“Yes. I will be okay. I’m so sorry I yelled. A lot has happened today.”

Chloe was still trying to work out what Max had said. “So you must get away with a lot then, huh?”

“Ha! Are you kidding me? I don’t get away with anything. Less than most people for sure.”

“You really think he’d help if David-“

“Yes. He’s a lawyer, but he’s also my dad. He’s not going to let someone hurt me without paying the price.”

Chloe nodded. “Okay.”

“I didn’t mean to...lose it. I’m sorry. I just...I can’t stand hearing you talk about yourself like that. And with everything that’s happened today, it all kind of spilled out.”

“I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”

“It’s okay.” Max nuzzled into Chloe. “What’s it gonna take to convince you that you matter, too?”

Chloe shrugged. “So what do we do now?”

“Well, I’d really like to go to bed, honestly.” 

“Oh, okay. I’ll leave you alone then,” Chloe said, releasing Max and heading toward the futon. 

“You...you could uh…” Max scratched her head. 

“Hm?”

“Will you come to bed with me? I don’t want to be alone.”

Chloe gulped. “Uuuuuhh yeah yeah, sure, yeah cool.” 

“Well if you’re gonna be all weird about it…”

“No! No. Greatcoolgood.” Chloe wiped her sweating palms on her pants.

“Come on, dork.” Max snickered while rolling her eyes.

As Chloe sat on Max’s bed for the first time, she finally found some words. “You’re the dork, mad scientist lady.”

Max laid down, covering her eyes with her hand. “Oh my dog, I changed my mind. Get out of my bed.” 

Chloe frowned and started to get up. “Sorry.”

“Damnit, Chloe. No.” Max scooted closer pulling her back down so Chloe was laying on her back. Max put Chloe’s arm around her shoulders and laid her head on Chloe’s chest. “I was kidding, I promise.”

They laid together in silence.  _ How can I possibly sleep like this? Her presence alone is overwhelming, but this… _

“Hey, Chloe?”

“Yeah.”

“You wanna go to the Halloween festival with me?”

“Sure.”

It was so quiet in Max’s room. And so dark. So comfortable.

“Hey, Max?”

“Mmhmm?”

“Who...who do you think started the rumor? How’re you not more upset?”

“It was bound to happen eventually. It’s fine. I know it wasn’t any of my friends that said anything. At this moment, it is just a rumor anyways. There’s no proof.”

“So you know who started it?”

“Pfft. I mean I don’t KNOW know, but I bet her name rhymes with Bitchtoria.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cringes* First fights. They suck, but they gotta happen. Imagining what this situation would be like and how hard it would be...It would be maddening. 
> 
> "Hey Lazer, when can we expect to see some action? Some romance? Some retribution?" you ask. So very soon, dear readers. I want to make sure that it is done right. I love reading all of the ways you guys want to harm this version of David. You guys are so creative. Should I be scared?
> 
> Also forgive Chloe's baby gay panic (as Letters called it hahaha). She told David she wasn't gay, but want to make sure you all know that Chloe is indeed very gay.
> 
> With my wonderful co-creators, I think that what does eventually happen will live up to what it should. Please welcome Blackadder261 to the show everybody! *claps* I'm so happy to have met these guys. 
> 
> I really want to hear what you all are thinking, so be sure to drop me a comment. You all are wonderful. Thank you for your support and for sticking with me through this story!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, you read it right. This is not a drill. Two chapters in one weekend! Enjoy :)

The vibration in her pocket caused Chloe to stir. It took her a second to realize where she was. There was a weight on her chest, and her arm was asleep.  _ Um, okay, yeah I guess that was real. Okay yup...there’s a sleeping Max on me. _

As gently as she could, Chloe removed her arm from under Max and rolled her onto her side. She reached into her pocket to retrieve her phone.

**Joyce:** Where are you?

**Joyce:** Why aren’t you answering?

**Chloe:** Give me a second to respond jesus christ

**Joyce:** I just want to know where my daughter is

**Chloe:** I’m at Max’s. Where else would I be?

**Joyce:** Why aren’t you at home?

Chloe sighed and rolled her eyes. She considered making up an excuse, but she didn’t see the point.

**Chloe:** Surely step-douche told you he didn’t want me to come home tonight.

**Joyce:** He said no such thing.   
**Joyce:** He said that he saw you run off with those skater boys after school probably to get up to no good

_ God fucking damn it. Whatever. I might as well be honest. I’ve got...I’ve got Max. _

**Chloe:** Well I’m not. I’ve been with Max the whole time. You can ask her parents. And you can believe whatever you want, but your asshole husband told me he didn’t want to see me at home tonight after he threatened my friend AND bashed my head against a wall. So there’s that.

The speech bubble popped up and vanished several times for a few minutes.

**Joyce:** You’re lying

**Chloe:** Ok. If that helps you sleep better at night.

Chloe threw her phone onto the floor. She had nothing else to say to her. She got up from the bed and began pacing and chewing her nails. 

_ Fuck. That was probably a bad idea. I haven’t accused David of anything in a long time, and the last time he found out… _

“Chloe...what’re you doing? Are you okay?”

Chloe flinched, startled by the voice in the darkness. “Y-yeah. Just having trouble sleeping.”   


“Come back.” She saw Max’s arms reach out toward her. Chloe obeyed, and walked back to Max’s bed. She laid next Max, but kept her back toward her. She didn’t want to disturb Max’s rest; there was no way she was falling asleep tonight. 

Chloe felt a small hand on her back. The hand moved up her back and into her hair. Max ran her fingers through Chloe’s hair, and Chloe sighed. She loved how it felt. It was something only Max had ever done, and she imagined it would be something that only Max would ever be allowed to do. Max inched closer to Chloe to get a better angle. As relaxing as this was, Chloe knew there was no way in hell she was sleeping tonight with Max’s body pressed up against hers like that. 

* * *

“Miss Price, can I speak with you for a moment?”

Chloe yawned and turned away from the classroom door to face Ms. Grant. She hadn’t spoken to the woman in a good few weeks.

“What can I do for you, Ms. Grant?” she asked, trying to keep the tone of the conversation as light as possible. She was afraid she would come off as snide because of her exhaustion, so she tried extra hard. 

“Nothing at all. I just wanted to let you know that you’re doing a fantastic job, and I’m very impressed with your work.”

“Thank you.” Chloe couldn’t recall a teacher ever saying something like this to her.

“I won’t force you to meet with Max after school anymore, but you are more than welcome to come and work in my classroom if you would like to.” 

“I’m...free then?”

“You are. As long as you keep up the good work.”

“Awesome. Uh...thank you, Ms. Grant.”

“Oh, you’re welcome, hon. I’m glad it worked out as well as it did. It looks like you found a good friend in Max.”

“Uh yeah. Actually, I did.”

Ms. Grant smiled. “Chloe, is everything alright with you?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“May I ask what happened there?” Ms. Grant pointed toward Chloe’s head.

Chloe touched the wound on her forehead. She saw it had created a bruise around her eye when she looked at herself in the mirror that morning. 

“J-just a skating accident.”

Chloe knew Ms. Grant was skeptical. Chloe kept her her eyes downcast and rubbed the back of her neck hoping she wouldn’t ask any more questions.“Okay, hon. Well I won’t keep you. Be careful, especially if you’re going to the festival tonight. Don’t get into any trouble.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” Chloe left without another word.

* * *

By lunch time, Chloe was so tired it hurt. She didn’t bother to get into the lunch line; her brain couldn’t think about food while it worked at minimum capacity. She sat at the table where Max’s friends would eventually appear, and rested her head on the table, hoping to get a few moments of rest. It wasn’t long before there was presence beside her. She hoped they would leave her be.

“Hey, Chloe. How’re you?”

Chloe rolled her eyes and then lifted her head, “Hey, Steph. Good, just fuckin’ tired, dude.”

“Yeah you look it. I’m sorry to bother you, but I need to ask you something before everyone sits down.”

“‘Kay. What’s up?”

“Well I’m sure you know, or you’ve heard the rumor that Max is...into women.”

Chloe’s rage flared. “So what if she is?” 

“Uhh, well. I was wondering if she was single. Or are you and her…?”

“Huh?” Chloe was beyond perplexed.

“Are you and Max like...a couple?”

Chloe didn’t know what to do with herself. “What the fuck? What’re you-? How’d-? Why!”

“Jesus, Price, relax,” Steph chuckled. “I was just wondering because I didn’t want to step on your toes.”

“What do you mean?” Chloe was getting more confused as each second passed. 

“I know you two are really close, and I thought that maybe you were interested in her. I wanted to check with you before I asked her out.”

“Oh uhh...Max and I aren’t, you know...we aren’t uh. Yeah. No.” Chloe thought she was pissed before, but slowly her rage began to reach a dangerous level. She wanted to be done with this conversation. 

“Awesome! So, I’m gonna go for it if that’s cool.”   


“Yeah, dude, you don’t need my permission.” Chloe crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. “Who did you hear that from anyway? What if she’s not gay at all?”

“Thanks, dude! Well it won’t hurt to ask, right? You never know. I thought that maybe since people were talking about it...I dunno.” Steph rubbed her hands together in excitement.

“Where did you hear the rumor?” Chloe asked through gritted teeth. 

“Um...it’s been floating around I guess. I heard Courtney telling Dana.”

_ Victoria indeed.  _

“Will you guys be at the festival tonight? Maybe I’ll ask her then.” 

Chloe nodded, “I think so.”

“Sweeeeet!”

“Hey, ladies! How’s your day going?” Kate sat down next to Chloe, and Chloe was in no mood for her cheerfulness. She grunted in response. 

“I’m doing great! Just got some good news.”

“Oh yeah? What’s going on?”

“You’ll find out,” Steph winked at Kate. 

Chloe couldn’t take it anymore. She was so fucking done. She stood up from her chair, not bothering to push it back in. She walked as quickly as she could to the bathroom. 

_ Get a fucking grip, Price. What is wrong with you? You’re just annoyed and tired. Steph is cool. You like her. So what she wants to date Max. Max deserves a girlfriend.  That’s cool, right? _

_ Right? _

_ Nah, Max is way too good for Steph. _

_ And you’re better? Yeah right. _

_ Wait, what? _

Chloe walked into a stall, slammed the door, and locked it. She sat on the toilet and banged her fists into her head. 

_ Are you insane? What are you even thinking right now? Max is your friend. She trusts you. You can’t...like her? Right?? _

_ But I do. _

_ And you can’t. If David… _

_ Oh, fuck me. Chloe, you can’t be this way. You’re not. You’re not. _

* * *

  
_ Holy shit...you totally are. _

“Chlo, why do you keep looking at me like that?”

“Oh, um, sorry. I’m just out of it. Didn’t sleep well.” Chloe blinked several times and turned her head to look out of the car window.

“You can nap before we go if you want.”

“That would probably be good.”

Max giggled. “Okay then.” Max pulled the car into the driveway, and the moment the car was in park, Chloe dashed toward the house. Maybe if she got to sleep she could stop thinking...and stop staring.

_ What the fuck is wrong with you? Nothing can change. You can’t act. Where did this come from anyways? All Steph did was suggest there was something there.  _

Max entered her room shortly after Chloe. Chloe was already on the futon, curled into the fetal position.

“Did something happen today?” Max was starting to worry. She placed her hand on Chloe’s back and rubbed gently. Each pass of Max’s hand invigorated the indescribable feeling in the pit of Chloe’s stomach.  _ Fuck, why do I like this so much! _

“Nope! No. I just...I gotta sleep.”

Max removed her hand leaving the part of Chloe that was enjoying it dismayed. “Mmm. I’ll just be upstairs if you need anything then.”

“Thank you. I just gotta...I gotta sleep.”

_ You need to forget. You need to forget. Forget it, Price. It can’t happen. Ever.  _

* * *

  
Chloe didn’t feel much better when Max woke her up a few hours later. Her anxiety remained, and she had been sweating heavily in her sleep. She cleaned herself up and changed as quickly as she could so as not to give Max any reason to ask questions. Max tried to tell her that they didn’t have to go to the festival if she wasn’t feeling well, but Chloe insisted that they go. She had to let it happen. She had to let Max go so that she could forget about...whatever the fuck it was.

It didn’t make her feel any less miserable. The car ride was silent and awkward. Max tried to find a place to park on the streets of downtown Arcadia Bay, and Chloe tried to wish herself out of existence. When Max found a spot and they started walking toward the festival entrance, Max finally said something.

“Chlo, you’re kind of scaring me.” She placed her hand around the inside of Chloe’s elbow and pulled herself close. She caressed Chloe’s flanneled forearm causing Chloe to shiver. “Did I upset you? Are you sick? I’m sorry you slept so poorly last night. I...I didn’t know.”

Chloe’s heart ached. “No, you didn’t do anything Max. I’m fine. Just a lot going on in my mind is all.”  _ It’s not her fault, you dick. Stop punishing her.  _

Max nodded, clearly frustrated. “Well you can talk to me, you know.”

“I know.” Chloe changed the subject to something she knew she could cope with, “How was your day anyway? Did you have any trouble? Any asses that need kicking?”

“No. There were a few whisperings here and there, but so far, it’s not as bad as I thought. Like I said, people aren’t really sure if it’s true or not. I’m not gonna bother correcting them, though. Fuck it.” If it was possible, Max pulled herself in even closer to Chloe.  _ Does she know how fucking distracting that is?  _

_ Stop thinking about it. _

“So, what would you like to do?” Max asked. “We can go check out the pumpkin carvings, we can find a good spot for the parade that’s happening in like an hour. Uuuuh, we can waste a ton of money on games, eat our weight in fried food, ride some rides. Anything sound good?”

_ Ugh funnel caaaaaake. _

“You do you. I don’t have any money to-”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence. You know that at the very least I’m going to make you eat.”

Embarrassed, Chloe said, “Um well...can we get a funnel cake then?”

“Oh, hell yes.”

Chloe held the funnel cake while Max reached over occasionally to tear off a piece. Chloe was now hyper-aware of her every movement. Every time Max touched her, she experienced an overwhelming sense of comfort, pleasure, and anticipation.

_ Stop it. _

“Ermahgerd, Chlo,” Max exclaimed with her mouth full, “Did you see that little girl? She's dressed as a taco! So cute. Okay, new appreciation for food themed costumes.”

“Uh huh.”

“What were you the last time you dressed up for Halloween?” Max nudged her in the side with her elbow as they walked along.

“Hmm...uh,” Chloe tore off a piece of funnel cake and threw it into her mouth, “I’m pretty sure I was a pirate. You?”

“Ha! For some reason, that makes sense to me. Kate and I dressed up together last year. I was Ash Ketchum, and she was Pikachu.”

Chloe laughed, “I can’t even handle you guys.”

“Hey, look at me. I think you got some sugar on your nose. Let me...”  Max stopped Chloe by placing her hand on Chloe’s arm. Then, with the sleeve of her hoodie, Max reached up to Chloe’s face and gently rubbed her nose.

Max’s lips were a magnet for Chloe’s eyes.  _ She’s so… _

“Max! Chloe!”

_ Beautiful. _

“Where have you been? We were waiting on you to go through the haunted house,” Warren said impatiently. “Come on, let’s go!”

Max spoke, her voice trembling a bit. “Y-you know how much I hate those. I don’t want to!” Kate, Brooke, Steph, and Warren were surrounding them, but Chloe didn’t even notice them. She couldn’t stop staring at Max. 

“Chloe. Chloe!” Kate shook her arm. “Will you walk through the haunted house with me? I don’t want to go alone.” Steph, Warren, and Brooke had stolen away Max’s attention. Steph made eye contact with Chloe and mouthed, “Please!” and nodded her head toward Max.

“S-sure, Kate.”  _ No, actually I want all of you to fuck off. _

Max hadn’t taken her eyes off of Chloe, “Are you okay with this?”

“Yeah, sure. Whatever. Let’s go.” Whatever happened, whatever bubble the two of them were in, had burst. Now, with a clearer head, Chloe began coming up with ways that she could avoid feeling like that again. 

As the group walked toward the haunted house, Kate held Chloe behind aways so they could have a more private conversation. Max and company didn’t seem to pay it any mind. 

“I think it’s really sweet what you’re doing.”

“What’re you talking about?” Chloe kicked a rock across the path.

“Steph told me about your conversation today. I think it’s sweet that you’re helping her out by going with me and stuff. Max deserves some attention, you know? She’s had a hard time with it over the years. It would be nice to see her embrace her sexuality and just...be. You know?”

_ Oh is that what I’m doing? Would have been nice to know.  _ “Y-yeah sure. So, you’re okay with Steph...being with Max?”

“If Max wants to be, of course.”

“You don’t think it will upset her? People don’t exactly know and...the whole reason she said she kept it secret was because she didn’t want to deal with being ‘out’ in high school.”

“Sometimes things change when you meet the right person,” Kate smiled. “I will, of course, respect whatever Max wants. When Steph told me her plan, I thought it best not to intervene. What if that is what Max wants, or even needs! Who am I to decide, right?” Kate winked.

_ The one time someone fucking listens to me.  _

Kate wrapped her arm around Chloe’s as they approached the haunted house. “Stay close, please. I don’t want to end up alone in there.” Chloe suppressed the urge to shake her off. _She doesn’t know and isn’t trying to make you uncomfortable. Breathe._ _You’re cool, Kate, but just because Max does it doesn’t give you permission._

Chloe’s frustration continued to build. She watched Warren and Brooke and Steph and Max approach the turnstile for the haunted house. Screams filled the air, maniacal laughter echoed around them, shitty horror movie music added to the cacophony. 

Warren grabbed Brooke’s hand as they entered. Steph said something to Max that made her laugh.  _ I love it when she laughs.  _

“Are you alright? You just got all tense.” Kate giggled, “Chloe Price can’t possibly be afraid.” Kate giggled.

“Nah, I’m good.”  _ Keep it together. She can’t know. _

Max looked back at Chloe and smiled. She waved and said, “Meet you at the end!”

Kate waved back, “Have fun!” Then to Chloe she whispered, “They are gonna be so cute together. Eeee!”  
  


* * *

 

 

Steph regaled the group with the entire story of their time in the haunted house. “Max nearly pissed herself at the end when the guy jumped out of the garbage can! It was hilarious!” 

“Shut up, I did not!” 

“You totally did.”

Everyone laughed.

Chloe was disgusted.

_ Oh Max, you’re so funny Max, you were so scared and I protected you Max, pay attention to me Max, I’ll love you forever Max, nih nih nih nih nih.  _

_ You’re not doing very well at letting this go, you dumb shit. You gotta let it happen and forget it.  _

She crossed her arms and followed the group wherever they were walking. She looked at the ground as she walked. 

_ What is wrong with you? This isn’t about you. Think about Max and what Max wants. _

The group found a spot in the bleachers along the main drag where the parade would soon be passing through. Chloe was on the end of the row with Max next to her followed by Steph, Kate, Warren, and Brooke.

“You cold? You need my hoodie?” Chloe looked around, remembering that she was in public surrounded by people.

Chloe looked into Max’s eyes. It felt like forever since they had spoken. Her furrowed brow told Chloe just how concerned Max was for her.  _ Quit it, Max.  _

“The flannel is good. Thanks, though.”

“Are you having fun?”

Chloe ignored the question. “Are you?”

“Yeah, I just feel like I haven’t talked to you in ages.”

Chloe’s heart warmed. “What are you talkin’ about? I’m right here, hippie!”

“Yeah, but you’re so quiet tonight. Even more so than normal.”

_ You can’t let her know. You gotta stop acting like a weirdo. _

“Aren’t you tired of me yet? I’m hanging back so you can have a good time.”

“Well, I want to have a good time with you, too.” Max wrapped her arm around Chloe’s and Chloe felt herself blush.

“Well, well, well, it looks like the Blackwell Dyke has finally found her true love. Surely there was a nicer gutter for you to go searching in, Max.” Victoria, Nathan, Taylor, and Courtney stomped up bleachers toward them, Victoria leading the pack. 

Chloe tensed, and Max held on to her tighter. Kate was the first to speak. “Leave her alone, Victoria! She didn’t do anything to you. We’re just trying to have a good time!”

Taylor cackled, “Are you even allowed to be here? Isn’t Halloween against your religion or something?” The comment made the rest of her group laugh. Kate backed down, looking ashamed. 

Before her brain had fully processed what she was doing, Chloe was on her feet, approaching Victoria’s posse. 

“Chloe, no! They aren’t worth it.” Max tugged lightly on her sleeve, but Chloe continued towards them. 

“So it  _ was  _ you then? You started the rumor?” Chloe asked, getting closer than is socially acceptable to Victoria’s face. She had been waiting, hoping that she would have a chance to lay into someone for talking shit about Max.

“Back off, Price,” Nathan growled.

“Or what, daddy’s boy?” Victoria held out a hand to keep Nathan from advancing on her. 

“It’s okay, Nathan. She’s just upset because we insulted her lover...and her gutter trash home.”

Chloe continued, “You know what they say about homophobes, Victoria?”

“Who gives a fuck, Price?”

“It’s likely that homophobes have homosexual feelings themselves. Is that the case for you, Vicky?”

Chloe had struck a nerve. Victoria’s face turned dark red, she clenched her teeth and balled her fists.

“Fuck off, you dumb cunt.”

“Oooooh defensive much? Let me tell you something.” Chloe leaned in close to her ear, “If you  _ ever _ talk shit about Max again, if you ever speak to her, if she’s tells me you did or said  _ anything _ , I will fucking end you, do you hear me?” Victoria didn’t respond, but it was clear that Chloe had her attention. “You wanna know something else? You will  _ never _ amount to half of the person Max is. She will  _ always _ be better than you.”

In the split second after her speech, a number of things happened very quickly. Victoria was shoved out of the way, and Nathan’s fist came into contact with Chloe’s nose. Max’s friends moved frantically about their row trying to keep things from escalating further. 

“Get out of here, now!” someone shouted. 

“Let me go! Let me go!” Max yelled.

“It’s okay. She’s okay,” said another.

“Fuck!” Chloe grabbed her nose. She felt it bleeding. She allowed herself to release everything she had been feeling all evening and she transferred it into a feeling she was more familiar with. “You hit like a little bitch, Prescott,” she laughed. “Let’s go!” Chloe lunged after him, but a pair of arms wrapped around her middle and lifted her off of the ground. 

“They aren’t worth it, Chloe, calm down,” Warren said, trying to keep the struggling Chloe under wraps. 

“Get off of me!” She struggled harder against him. 

“Keep your guard dog on a short leash, Caulfield,” Nathan called to Max. “Next time I won’t be as forgiving.” Nathan grabbed Victoria’s hand and led the group down to the street. 

“Fuck you, Kari!” Victoria shouted, and the group laughed.

Chloe made one last attempt at lunging forward, but Warren was surprisingly strong. “Let it go, dude,” he said.

Chloe relented and struggled out of Warren’s arms. She straightened up her flannel and wiped her hand across her nose. There was a blood stain down the front of her t-shirt.

“Chlo! Chloe, are you okay?” Max rushed over to Chloe and grabbed her by the shirt. “What the fuck were you thinking, huh? You didn’t have to do that.”

“You sure are a feisty one, Price,” Steph chuckled patting Chloe on the arm.

“That was savage! Did you see her face?” Brooke said, impressed.

“I’ll go get some napkins,” Kate said, rushing toward the street. 

“Come on,” Max said. “Let’s get you cleaned up.” With that, Max walked down the bleachers to the street after Kate, and Chloe followed. Max didn’t smile. Her tone wasn’t warm. She didn’t grab Chloe’s hand as she was accustomed to. 

Chloe’s mind was reeling.  _ She is so pissed. I’m in deep shit. _

* * *

Max led Chloe back to the parked car after having cleaned Chloe up enough to look like she hadn’t been in a fist fight. They were escorted by Steph, much to Chloe’s annoyance. Steph made some small talk with Max, but Max didn’t seem very interested.  _ Is she really gonna attempt this now? After all of that? I can tell you, pal, Max is not in the mood. Oops. _

Max opened the passenger’s side door for Chloe and guided her into the seat. 

“Hey, Max, can I talk to you alone for a second.”

_ Oh good, I won’t have to hear it and feel the second hand embarrassment. _

“Uh, sure, Steph. I guess.”  _ Not off to a good start. _

They walked down the sidewalk for quite a while. Chloe watched them in the side view mirror as they went. She couldn’t hear what was being said, but she didn’t have to. 

_ This is it. Now it will all be over. _

Chloe removed the napkin from her nostril checking to see if the blood had stopped. It hadn’t. When she looked back into the mirror, she saw Max embrace Steph.

Chloe’s heart sank.  _ Oh. Well, that’s that, I guess. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might have been a bad way to end the chapter when all of you have buses, weaponry, and psychological torture on your minds. Don't hurt me. 
> 
> Go show my dudes Letters and Adder some love. We've all been hard at work this weekend. 
> 
> As always, thank you for reading. Let me know what you guys are thinking!


	12. Chapter 12

“Wild night, huh?” Steph asked. Her and Max walked side by side down the sidewalk back toward the festival. 

“That’s an understatement, I think,” Max giggled.

“Are you okay?”

Max put her hands in her jean pockets. “Yeah. I...I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“Oh! No, no I’m okay. You’re a lot stronger than you look, though, that’s for sure.” 

“I’m really sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Victoria is such a bitch and when Nathan-“

“I understand. You don’t have to explain.”

“You do?”

“Listen, Max, because it’s been a rough night, I’m just going to lay it all out for you.”

Max raised an eyebrow and nodded. 

“I had every intention of asking you out tonight. Let’s face it, you’re hot, adorable, into cool shit. I’m only human.”

Max blushed and gulped, “W-whu..”

“See, look! Proving my point,” Steph chuckled. “That was my original plan, but it became pretty clear to me what’s going on after our little scuffle with those Vortex douchebags.” Max listened intently as Steph continued. “I heard this morning that you’re queer. I kinda figured you were, honestly. It’s bullshit that someone outed you, but like I said, you’re beautiful, and it would be nice to be with a woman who is actually queer and not just  _ experimenting _ , you know? Anyway, I knew you and Chloe were really close, and I thought that you two were a couple.”

Max’s face turned so red that beets would look pale in comparison. “N-no, we’re not.” Max had about 1,000 thoughts start and stop in her head. She didn’t know what to do with herself. When words didn’t work, Max attempted to speak with her hands.

Noticing her struggle, Steph continued, “I know. When I asked her about it at lunch, she looked about ready to fight me. At the time, I just thought she was pissed about whoever started the rumor.”

Max let out a breath that she was holding, “Mmhmm. She’s kinda hot-headed, haha.” 

“No shit! That girl can fuckin’ rage. I know it scared you, but that thing with Nathan...that was fierce. I wish I had it on camera.”

“I don’t. I never want to think about it again.”

“I understand. It can be scary when the person you love is in danger.”

“Yeah,” Max agreed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. When the realization dawned that she’d just admitted something she had been keeping secret, Max’s eyes widened in horror, “I..what?! I’m not in love with Chloe!” 

Steph smirked, “It’s okay, Max. I won’t tell her.”

Max’s face looked like it was about to combust. She covered her face with her hand. “Fuck…”

“It’s alright. After what I just saw, I’m about 99.9 percent sure she’s into you too.”

“No way. That’s impossible. She’s not…” Max turned in on herself, crossing her arms, holding her elbows, completely ashamed.

“My gaydar has never been wrong.”

“I-I didn’t mean to. S-she’s way out of my league. She’s my best friend, and I can’t ruin that.”

Steph laughed incredulously, “Oh my god. First of all, you’re beautiful, like I said. Second, pretend you’re me and  _ really _ think about her behavior tonight. Not just when we met up, but everything that’s happened tonight.”

Max nodded in response and continued rubbing her elbows.

“Now, if you don’t see a clueless, insane asshole that is in love with her best friend, you’re not looking hard enough. Nobody I know would do that for me! I know you’re probably upset right now, but take it easy on her. She did what she felt was right, and she hasn’t really sorted out what she’s feeling. Just give her some help. Hell, give her my number! I can be a mentor of sorts.”

Max smiled and embraced Steph. “Thank you. I’m so sorry, Steph. I’m sorry about...“

“No apologies necessary. I get it.” Steph released Max from the hug and said, “but if it doesn’t work out…” and pointed her finger guns with a wink. 

Max laughed. “You got it,” she said returning the finger guns. 

“Go get her, Caulfield.”

* * *

Chloe shoved the napkin back in her nose. She wasn’t bleeding profusely, but she didn’t want to get blood in Max’s car. She tried to find something to occupy her mind, her hands, literally every bit of her so that she could keep herself from saying the things the untamed part of her brain was pressuring her to. She fidgeted and picked at the fibers around the hole in her jeans.  _ I should just go. What’s the point in me staying? She probably has better things to do than deal with my dumb ass. Especially now that she’s...taken. _

The driver’s side door opened suddenly and Max slid into the car. Chloe glanced at her for a moment, saw her flushed cheeks and gentle smirk, and turned away. It made her feel sick.  _ Stop it. You should be happy for her. Pretend until you believe it. Don’t be an asshole; she’s already pissed at you. _

Chloe looked out of the car window and felt the silence weighing heavily on her. She wanted so badly to ask Max about what happened, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Max didn’t say anything as she started the car and pulled out of the parking space. After a few more minutes of silence, Max finally said something.

“You...you didn’t have to do that, you know?” she said with thinly veiled irritation.

“Well, I did, so…” Chloe shrugged.

The silence returned. Chloe wanted her to keep talking and go back to normal. She thought about asking if they could forget today ever happened and go back to the way things were before.  _ Whatever that means. _

“Why?”

“Oh, I don’t know Max,” Chloe huffed unable to help the sarcasm. “Maybe because they were all being assholes to you, and you don’t fucking deserve it.”

“It’s not that I don’t appreciate you sticking up for me, Chlo. I’m not gonna sit here and say I didn’t enjoy it. I just...you…” She was having trouble finding the right words. “They pulled you into their bullshit. It’s what they want. It gives them more ammo to hurt you.”

“So I’m just supposed to sit there and take it? Let you take it? Fuck that, Max! They get away with enough bullshit!”

“Maybe, but it’s not okay when you’re the one taking the hit! Chloe, I’ve never...” she took a deep breath,”I’ve never felt so much anger in my life when Dickscott hit you.”

_ Dickscott, heh heh.  _

“It scares me a little, the thoughts I had when he did that. Luckily, Steph grabbed me before I could get in on the action.”

Chloe finally looked over at Max and smiled. “I would’ve liked to see that.”  _ She’s scrappy that’s for sure. _

Max smiled back. “I would have loved to lay into that rich prick, but it’s probably best I didn’t. He’d probably have my parents’ house torn down by morning to make room for a new golf course or something.”

Chloe chuckled, “Don’t worry, Max. We’ll find One-Eyed Willy’s treasure in the bay and save the town. You’ll see.”

Max laughed, “You’re the worst! I’m trying to be serious.”

“Sorry.”

Max parked in the driveway of the Caulfield home. “It’s okay it’s just...I don’t want you to get hurt because of me, okay? Watching it happen in front of my eyes and knowing that I was the reason,” she grabbed Chloe’s hand, “I can’t handle it. You don’t need to put yourself in harm’s way for my sake.”

Chloe shook her head, “I’m not gonna let them bully you like that.” Chloe started speaking before her mind realized what she was doing. After a hectic, emotional night, her ability to self-regulate had all but disappeared. “A while back when they took Daniel’s sketchbook and you were trying to get it back, there was something about the way you pleaded with them that I never want to hear again.”

“W-what are you talking about?”

Chloe felt her stomach do a somersault after realizing what she had said. She gulped. “Uh well, you know?”

“I remember it, of course.”

Knowing she wasn’t going to get out of it, her cheeks reddened as she said, “You sounded so...desperate. Every time I look back on it, it like...makes me feel like I’m on fire. I can’t let you experience that. If I can keep you from being afraid, if I can help, I’m going to.”

Chloe might not have fully understood what she was feeling, but Max was able to fit the pieces together. This was something that Chloe could control and prevent. She couldn’t keep horrible things from happening to herself, but she could keep them from happening to Max.

“Chloe…” Max’s eyes filled with tears and her lip quivered as she flung herself across the center console to embrace Chloe. “Thank you. You still don’t have to, you know?”

Chloe laughed lightly as she wrapped her arms around Max as best she could with the awkward angle. “I know.”

“Let’s just try and avoid them as best we can, okay?” Max rubbed Chloe’s back.

“Of course.” Chloe patted her back. “Hey,” she tried to smile, “ your new girlfriend probably won’t appreciate you feeling me up.”

Max’s hands froze. She removed herself from Chloe, frustration and hurt returning to her features. 

Chloe noticed the change in her demeanor and awkwardly asked, “Heh, s-so how’d it go?”  _ Big smile, Chloe. Fake it till you make it. Why is she looking at me like that? _

Max’s patience was wearing thin. She cleared her throat. “Even if I did have a girlfriend, which I don’t, I can hug who I want to.”

“Steph told me she was gonna ask you out, though. Didn’t she?”

“She did, kinda, but I turned her down.” 

_What?_ _No way._ “But you...I saw you hugging. Doesn’t exactly seem like a rejection.” Chloe crossed her arms and said, “You can trust me, Max. We’re friends, right? You can tell me the truth.”

“I am! Yes, we hugged but not because I accepted.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Why are you arguing with me about this?” Max asked, annoyed. “I don’t know what to tell you. We talked, I said no, I gave her a hug, I came to the car, the end!”

“But...why? Why wouldn’t you say yes?”  _ She’s Steph.  _ “You’d be great together, and you deserve to be happy.”  _ Max, why? Why didn’t you say yes so that I could forget. _

“Because, Chloe! Because she’s not who I’m interested in!”

Chloe gulped. Hope and dread flooded her insides simultaneously.  _ Get it the fuck together. She can’t possibly mean you. Or worse, what if she does mean you? No, Max. Please. _

“This isn’t how I wanted to have this discussion, and I  _ really _ didn’t want to have it tonight, but I guess we’re doing this.” Max took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She grabbed Chloe’s hand once more and looked her in the eyes. “Chloe…”

_ Ooooooh fuck…. _

“Why is this so hard? Um. Okay, I....I have feelings for you.” When Chloe looked at Max with horror, Max’s words came out more quickly, “I understand if you don’t. I don’t even know if you’re into women or...what. I don’t know. Steph did plan to ask me out tonight, but we talked and she said she could tell, that she knew, I was interested in you.”

The color drained from Chloe’s face. She couldn’t look in Max’s eyes anymore; her gaze was too intense.  _ Oh shit, she likes me AND I like her back. This is so astoundingly horrible. I’m gonna be sick. _

“Say something. Do you...like me too?”

Chloe squeezed Max’s hand. Her breathing became unsteady as her body filled with panic.  _ How can I want so badly to run away and take shelter in her at the same time?  _

“Chloe, it’s okay. If you do or you don’t, it doesn’t matter. It’s okay, you can tell me.” Max’s thumb brushed against her hand. 

“Max...I-we-” she stuttered. “No. No. We can’t.  _ I _ can’t! I don’t even know if I’m-” She couldn’t say it.  _ Yes you do, you liar. You are. SAY IT!  _

Chloe’s entire body started to shake. She ripped her hand from Max’s.“You should go be with Steph. S-she can give you so much more than I ever could, anyways.” Chloe got out of the car as quickly as she could.

“Chloe, no! Wait, please!”

She heard Max scrambling to get out of the car. Chloe started her trek home, knowing that she shouldn’t stay. She had to go back to where she belonged, away from Max, who deserved a far better person than her.  _ I don’t even have the balls to admit that I like her, too. More than anyone else on this fuckin’ rock. _

“Chloe, please don’t go!” Max’s distressed shouts echoed down the vacant street. 

“I have to! It’s better this way.” Chloe continued her long strides away from Max while part of her screamed and pleaded to turn around.  _ What the fuck are you doing?! _

Chloe easily outpaced her. She sniffed and wiped the tears from her face that she didn’t know she was crying. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

* * *

 

Chloe entered the house as quietly as she could, fully expecting David and Joyce to be asleep. With her eyes downcast, she shut the door behind her, the door making a soft click. When she looked up to start up the stairs, she was greeted by the silhouette of David, the lights of the living room bright behind him. She couldn’t see his face, but she imagined he was sneering. 

“Well, well, well. We didn’t expect you home tonight. Did we, Joyce?” David looked over to the dining table and received a response that Chloe didn’t hear. “Especially after all of the  _ excitement  _ from the festival.” 

Chloe found his tone deeply unsettling but wasn’t sure what to make of it. 

“Y-yeah. Just want to go to bed. Night.”

“Hey, hey not so fast!” 

His voice was far too friendly.  _ What the fuck is going on? _

“Why don’t you come and sit down, and we can have some family time, huh?”

Chloe gulped, “I’m r-really tired.”

“Surely you can stay awake long enough to talk with your family. Come on.” He walked to the dining room table. “Now.” He commanded. 

_ Fuckfuckfuckfuck what is going on? Why didn’t you stay with Max? You’re so stupid.  _

Chloe felt her knees wobble as she made her way to the dining room. When she approached the table, David gestured to the seat directly across from Joyce. As she began to sit, David shoved her into the chair. Joyce was not making eye contact with her, making Chloe feel even more uneasy.  _ This isn’t good. _

“Your mother and I just got done talking about something very interesting, didn’t we honey?”

Joyce didn’t respond. She looked away from the table toward the living room.

“Joyce just finished telling me,” his excitement increased with each word, “that  _ you  _ told her that  _ I  _ said you weren’t allowed to come home last night.”

Chloe felt a drop of sweat on her brow. She reached forward and gripped the edge of the table.  _ He won’t do anything too bad with mom here.  _

“What have I told you about lying? Huh?” 

Chloe knew not to respond and to let him finish. 

“What are you not understanding?” He paced back and forth behind her. “What do you think is the best punishment, Joyce?”

She finally spoke, “I-I don’t know, hon.”

“She lied to you! She’s trying to drive a wedge between us! Don’t you think she should be punished?”

Chloe pleaded with her mother wordlessly.  _ She has to know what he’s gonna do. Please mom, don’t let him do this. Please! _

Joyce stared directly in to Chloe’s eyes looking petrified. Yet she still said, “Yes.”

“Good,” he said. In a split second after he uttered the word, Chloe’s head was slammed into the table. He held her head in place with one hand and used the other to twist her left arm behind her back. 

Chloe cried out in pain, unable to say anything intelligible. Joyce flinched but watched it happen. 

“Why did you tell your mother I said that?” He twisted her arm harder. She felt her muscles strain, trying to keep him from pulling them any farther. 

“M-mom…” she pleaded. Joyce didn’t budge. 

“ANSWER ME!” He pulled her arm even harder causing a popping sound followed by excruciating pain. 

“AAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH FUCK! BECAUSE I’M A LIAR!” Tears streamed down her face of their own volition. 

David laughed. Chloe glanced at her mother whose lip quivered. A tear rolled down her cheek.

“M-MOM!”

“Don’t you speak to her. Liars don’t have that luxury. Go to your room.”

David picked Chloe up by the hair and shoved her in the direction of the stairs. She fell onto her knees, and then scrambled forward holding on to her injured arm. 

“And that’s all there is to it,” she heard the stepfucker say as she ascended the stairs. Once in her room, Chloe sobbed in earnest. Since her dad’s death, she classified this as the worst night she had ever experienced. Pacing back and forth, she tried to figure out what to do. 

_ She just watched! She agreed I should be punished and just watched! _

_ Chloe, you idiot, she’s known forever and has always denied it. Why would this make a difference? _

_ Does she really give so little of a shit that seeing it happen in front of her eyes doesn’t make her want to stop it? FUCK!! _

_ I gotta get out of here. I can’t stay here. Max will… _

But she couldn’t go to Max’s. 

_ Fuck. You relied on her too much. See. Exactly why you needed to break it off.  _

_ But I...I really need her right now.  _

Chloe fought with herself for a few moments before pulling out her phone. She could barely move her left arm so she had to maneuver it out of her pocket with the opposite hand.  _ Fuck, my arm hurts like a bitch.  _ She had several missed calls, voicemails, and texts. 

She listened to the first voicemail after sifting through a few of the texts, all of them from Max pleading with her to come back. 

“ **H-hey, Chlo. It’s me. I know I’ve already sent you like... a thousand texts but please, PLEASE come back. I didn’t mean to make you feel pressured. You’re still my best friend. I hope you still consider me yours. Can you please just come back and talk to me? We don’t even have to talk about what happened tonight. We can talk about movies, or cats, or….fuck I don’t know, why seasonal Reese’s cups taste better than regular ones. Just...give me a call back or text or something please. Okay? I’m sorry. Bye.** ”

Chloe cried even harder. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I asked my co-authors why we do this to ourselves. Why do we hurt ourselves by writing stuff like this? They responded with: masochism. 
> 
> All of us love Chloe and Max. Fear not, for things will get better. Eventually. 
> 
> I wanted to mention that AO3 is kind of a pain in the ass when it comes to authorship. Just know that the authors are listed in alphabetical order and does not mean anything except we are all working on it. If you were confused by the email, I apologize. It’s still me (LazyLazer) with some really cool dudes that help me with ideas and editing and get me super hyped about writing. They deserve authorship in my opinion. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading! Let us know what you think :) 
> 
> Also sorry. Keep all of your vehicles and weapons pointed in David’s direction *pleads*


	13. Chapter 13

Despite Chloe’s best efforts, her body refused to relax. The amount of pain she was experiencing physically and emotionally would not be controlled. The tears rolling down her cheeks refused to be restrained. She was completely unable to move her arm which added to her panic. It felt slightly better if she kept her forearm close to her chest, so she rested it there. She moved from her bed to her desk chair several times, trying to find a comfortable place to exist.

_ What should I do? _

Her body shook as she heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs. She held her breath until she heard Joyce and David enter their bedroom. She heard David _laugh_ adding to the hopelessness she felt. Joyce had barely been trustworthy before, but now David was able to get away with violence in front of her. There was no waiting it out. Joyce was not going to come to her senses. _It only continues to get worse. Every time I think I’ve got it under control, that I can deal, he throws in something new. If I stay here, I’m going to die._ _I can’t do this anymore._

Without wasting any time, Chloe quickly went to her closet to find a bag she could put clothes in. Once she found one she could sling across her body, she started stuffing it with what little clothes she had. When she finished, she walked over to her desk to grab her most prized possession: the last photo her father had taken with her. She glanced at it for a moment, but put it away quickly not wanting to add to her emotional state. 

She then climbed out of her window onto the roof, like she had done so many times before. Admittedly, she had never done it with one arm, but she managed to do so painfully. It was getting down that would be the issue. She glanced at the trellis she would normally use to get down, but knew that would probably be very difficult in her condition; reaching upward was not a possibility. She walked to the edge of the roof and took a deep breath.  _ Fuck it. What other choice do you have? _

Without another thought, Chloe leapt from the roof onto the driveway below. She felt the shock of hitting the concrete travel up her legs. Her legs gave way making her land on her knees. She caught herself with her good arm, scuffing her hand on the concrete. With difficulty she returned to her feet and began limping down the street.  _ Okay, ow. Note to self: don’t ever fucking do THAT again.  _

Chloe kept her injured arm as close to her body as possible. The pain was making her feel sick to her stomach.  _ I have to go to Max. I don’t have a choice. If I didn’t, she’d kill me. God, I acted like such an ass earlier. How can I ask for her help after treating her like that? _

_ She asked for you to come back.  _

_ Yeah, but what am I gonna say? What am I gonna do? How can we go back to normal after tonight? We can’t...can we? Do I even want to? _

_ Not the time to be thinking about this, dude! Arm! Ow! _

Chloe determined that the most important thing at this moment was to get to Max. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she needed help, and Max was the only one she was willing to trust. 

The walk to Max’s seemed even farther than normal. She thought about calling Max to come get her, but she had to keep moving as far as she could from the shit-pit that was her home. She struggled to remove her phone from her pocket. She had to at least let Max know she was coming. 

**Chloe:** Hey. If you’re still ok with it, I’m headed your way. 

The response was immediate. 

**Max:** YES

**Max:** Where are you? I can come get you

**Max:** Are you ok?

**Max:** Sorry Chloe 

Chloe fought back another wave of tears. 

**Chloe:** You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m sorry. I’m a dumbass. Be there soon. 

Chloe shoved her phone back into her pocket afraid that she would start crying again if she saw her response.

* * *

 

Chloe practically dragged herself to the front door. She was so exhausted and didn’t think she could take another step. The pain continued to get worse in her arm and one of her legs was starting to throb. She knocked on the door lightly not wanting to cause a disturbance. Her hand barely left the door before it quickly swung open. 

Max’s radiant smile quickly fell and turned to a look of fright. “Chloe! What happened to you?!” Max approached her carefully trying to find a safe place to touch her. 

Chloe tried to smile and make a joke. “Mmm not sure if I ssshould wave one or two fingers atchu,” she slurred. 

“Whoa, whoa hey, easy. Chloe! CHLOE!”

Chloe collapsed on the doorstep. She felt Max’s arms wrap around her, keeping her from plummeting to the ground. The last thing she heard was Max’s muffled voice screaming for her parents. 

* * *

Everything felt warm and tingly. Chloe remembered that she was a person and that she must be living. The tingly feeling was suddenly replaced by pain. Everywhere.  _ Uuuuugh what the fuuuuck. _

She really didn’t want to open her eyes, especially if that meant the pain would get worse. Unfortunately, her brain had other plans. She blinked a few times, the harsh, pale lights making her eyes water. She went to lift her arm, but it wouldn’t budge. 

Chloe looked down to see that her left arm had been wrapped in a sling.  _ The fuck?! _

She became more alert with the surprise. She looked around frantically trying to figure out where she was. It wasn’t a place that she recognized, but after some inspection she classified it as a hospital room.  _ No no no no! If I’m here, they probably told Joyce. I’m so fucked! They’re gonna ask me a bunch of questions, and if she’s here I won’t be able to tell the truth. Stepdick will probably be here too. _

While Chloe’s brain spiraled out of control, something to her right made a soft noise. Max was sleeping in a chair beside her bed. She had leaned into Chloe’s hospital bed, her brown hair falling in her face. Her hand was holding Chloe’s while she slept. 

“M-Max,” she croaked, her voice still thick with sleep. She cleared her throat and tried again, “Max, wake up!” Chloe wiggled in her bed a bit to try and jostle her. 

Max finally stirred and opened her eyes. Recognition dawned on her quickly. Her eyes widened and she gasped, “Chloe! You’re awake!” Her hand squeezed Chloe’s tightly.

“Max you’ve got to get me out of here! They’re gonna tell my mom, and I’ll be so fucked. I can’t pay for this. David is going to kill me! I can’t be here! I can’t!” Chloe looked around frantically, trying to find anything attached to her so she could get out of bed. 

“Chloe!” Max stood and placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to keep her from moving around. “Chloe, no! Relax,” Max said, “You’re safe. They aren’t here, and they don’t know you’re here.”

Chloe gulped and tried to control her breathing. “What happened?”

“We brought you to the hospital. You fainted when you got to my house.”

“We?”

“Y-yeah. My parents and me. I didn’t tell them anything, but they’re suspicious. I’m sorry, I needed help getting you here.”

“It’s okay.” It was her intention to get Max’s help, which she knew would probably mean getting Ryan and Vanessa involved. She appreciated that Max was going to let her tell them on her own terms though.

Max sighed with relief. After the initial panic wore off, Chloe settled into the hospital bed. “Max...I really can’t pay for this. What am I gonna do?”

“You’re hurt, and you need help no matter the cost. I’m not gonna let anything bad happen, don’t worry.” Max raked her fingers through Chloe’s hair.

“That doesn’t make me feel better. I...I already owe you so much.”

“You don’t owe me a single thing.” Max removed her hand from Chloe’s hair to caress her cheek. Chloe blushed finally taking comfort in Max’s presence.

“What’s the damage?” She closed her eyes, feeling pain and nausea wash over her. 

“Uh, well, your shoulder was dislocated, your eyebrow needed stitches, sprained ankles, scraped up knees and arm, and a concussion.”

Chloe reached up to feel the stitches on her brow.

“There was so much blood on your face you looked like you’d walked out of a horror movie.”

“I...I hadn’t noticed.”

“How do you feel?”

“Like I got hit by a fuckin’ train.”

“Let me go get the nurse! She can get you more medicine.” Max removed her hands from Chloe, making the dread return to her thoughts. Chloe couldn’t take it. She grabbed Max’s hand to keep her from leaving. 

“No, please don’t leave.”

Max seemed a little shocked by Chloe’s vulnerability. “Okay,” she said with uncertainty. “I promised I would go get a nurse if you woke up when they weren't here.”

“I want to tell you what happened.”

Max was awestruck and tried her best to hide it. She combed her fingers through Chloe’s hair once more. “You don’t have to right now. You need to rest.”

“No. I want to. I want to tell you e-everything.”

“Chlo…”

“Max, I’ve been the worst friend. I’ve been pushing you away this whole time when I should have been placing my trust in you.”

“It’s okay,” she whispered. 

“But it’s not! I’m so fucking stupid.” Tears started forming in her eyes. “I d-didn’t see...I hoped things would get better, and they never did. I thought if I didn’t tell you what happened I could protect you from it. Keep you from thinking about it or knowing.” Chloe put her hand over her eyes as tears started spilling from them. “God, I am so fucked!”

Max tried to remove Chloe’s hand from her eyes. “No, ssshhhh. You’re not fucked. I’m keeping you safe. You’re my number one priority. You’re all that matters to me.”

“I know. You’ve proved that over and over again. Even though I don’t deserve it.”

“Yes, you do.”

Chloe shook her head. “I’m such a fuck up. Last night I…I went home and...they were awake. I tried to get up to my room, but s-stepass insisted I come and sit at the table to ‘chat’ with him and mom. I didn’t think anything too bad would happen, but when he asked if I should be punished for telling lies, s-she...she said…” Chloe couldn’t say it. Max nodded in understanding. 

“I texted her the other night while you were asleep and told her that David wouldn’t let me come home. She didn’t believe me. She told David, and then…this.” Max pulled Chloe into the best hug she could. Chloe accepted and wrapped her good arm around Max. She didn’t bother holding back her sobs. “He pulled m-my arm behind my back and slammed my face into the table. S-she just watched! She didn’t say anything! I waited until they went to bed, climbed out on the roof and jumped down to the driveway. Then I walked to your house.”

“Jesus Christ,” Max whispered.

“I’m sorry. I never should’ve left. I never should’ve gotten so...weird about the...you know! It’s just because I...FUCK!”

“Sshh. We don’t have to talk about that right now. We need to focus on keeping you away from that place and getting you healed up.”

“But I-”

Chloe was interrupted by a nurse coming through the door. She immediately stiffened and felt even more uneasy. Max released her from the hug but kept a tight hold on her hand. “It’s alright,” she whispered, “She’s just checking on you.”

“Hello, Miss Price, it’s good to see you awake! My name is Jen, and I’ve been your nurse since you were brought to us. How do you feel?”

“Uhh…” Chloe looked at Max who was silently urging her to tell the truth. “Um, honestly Jen, I feel like shit.”

Jen chuckled, “I bet you do, girl. Are you nauseous?” 

“God, yes.”

“It’s the anesthesia. We had to knock you out to put your arm back in place.” Jen approached her bedside. “Is it okay for me to check your vitals?”

Chloe nodded. Max let go of Chloe’s hand to move out of Jen’s way. Noticing Chloe’s trepidation, Jen approached slowly and said, “I’m not gonna hurt you, okay?” She placed a hand on Chloe’s forearm. Chloe flinched at first but eased into the contact. 

“Max hasn’t left your side. I’d hate to see what she would to to the person that messes with you, let me tell ya. She nearly ripped the doctor’s head off!”

Chloe smiled, “She’s hardcore, I know.” 

“You’re a lucky girl, Chloe Price. It’s hard to find a friend like that.”

“I’m the luckiest.” She smiled at Max, and Max smiled back, blushing. 

* * *

After Jen worked her magic, everything became a little fuzzy. Normally, the hospital didn’t allow visitors in the room outside of visiting hours, but they quickly learned that Max wasn’t leaving Chloe’s side. That became literal when Chloe asked if Max wanted to nap with her on the bed. Max felt a little guilty for thinking how fantastic it felt to snuggle up to her. She told Chloe she didn’t want to take advantage and Chloe replied, “Who said you were the one taking advantage?” and smiled. This uninhibited, vulnerable, and flirtatious Chloe was something Max had never seen. It was probably just the medication, so Max had to be the one with self-control to keep the flirtation from continuing. The flirting was great if Chloe actually wanted to do it, but Max didn’t think she would say something like that under normal circumstances. “Shut up, you dork. Go to sleep.” 

It didn’t take much coaxing. Chloe was asleep almost immediately. Max snuggled in closer to share Chloe’s pillow and fell asleep. 

A few hours later, there was a soft knock on the door, rousing Max from her sleep. Chloe was already awake, and said, “Come in.”

Ryan and Vanessa entered the hospital room with tired smiles. “Good afternoon, Chloe. You’re looking better already,” Vanessa said. 

“Yes, ma’am. I’m starving though.” Her gaze went to the pudding cup sitting on her rolling table. She couldn’t grab it with her one arm in a sling and the other being used as a teddy bear by Max. 

Quickly, Max shot up from the bed and grabbed the pudding cup and spoon. “You should’ve woken me. I would have gotten it for you!” 

“But you were so sleepy! I couldn’t!”

Max pursed her lips and looked at Chloe sternly. She definitely appreciated the sleep, but she didn’t want to cause Chloe any more discomfort. She ripped the foil lid off of the pudding cup and stuck the spoon inside. She brought the spoon up to Chloe’s lips. “Eat.”

“You are not feeding me, Max. No way.” Chloe was already feeling like a burden to the entire Caulfield family. Surely this was something she could do. 

“It’s okay, Chlo, I can help.”

“I have another arm!”

“I’m sorry, I’m being too much aren’t I?” Max returned the spoon to the pudding cup and held it out for Chloe to take.  _ Way to make her feel bad, asshole.  _ Chloe took the spoon, her non-dominant hand shaking on its path to her mouth. The spoon almost made it to her lips when the pudding tumbled off the spoon and onto her hospital gown. 

She looked up and frowned at Max. Max giggled, “I’ll get you cleaned up.” She removed the pudding with a napkin and then resumed feeding Chloe her pudding. 

“This is so embarrassing,” she muttered through a mouthful.

“You haaaaad to be stubborn,” Max joked while Chloe scowled at her and chewed. 

Someone in the room cleared their throat, startling both girls.  _ Whoa, got lost for a second there.  _

“Chloe, I know this isn’t the best time. I’m sure you’re tired and in a lot of pain, but can you tell us what happened to you?” Ryan asked. 

Chloe heaved a sigh to ease her nerves.  _ What’re they going to think of me when I tell them this? Will they believe me? I’m just some pathetic kid that’s over at their house all the time. They probably hate me.  _

She stuffed down her concerns and told them what happened, omitting details about how scared she was and how betrayed she felt by her mother. She felt that was a little too personal for this conversation. Ryan’s smile rapidly faded and turned to a frown. He looked as if he was ready to tear off someone’s head. Vanessa held her hand over her mouth and gasped when Chloe described her arm being pulled out of socket. She was appalled that Chloe had jumped from the roof and then walked all the way to the house. 

“How long has this been going on? I assume this wasn’t the first incident?” Ryan asked, using his lawyer voice. There was no humor in it, which Chloe found very disconcerting. 

“A few years.”

Vanessa interjected, “Maxine, why didn’t you tell us this was going on?”

Chloe was trying her best not to get angry, but Vanessa was making it difficult. This wasn’t the first time during their conversation that Vanessa said something like this. For some reason, she was placing all of the blame on Max as if she had any control over Chloe’s actions and decisions thus far.

Max began speaking but Chloe interrupted, “I asked her not to. It’s not her fault. She was just being a good friend.”

“A good friend would have told someone what was going on,” Vanessa said.

“Vanessa,” Ryan warned, attempting to mediate.

“And break her trust?! Up until now, she thought she could rely on her mom to keep her safe. I was being what she needed me to be!” Max said indignantly. 

Ryan patted Max on the knee, “You did good, pumpkin. I wish you would have trusted us with this, but you’re a great friend. When I was your age, I would have done the same thing.”

Vanessa crossed her arms and stared out of the hospital room window. The tension in the room was palpable. She wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to speak, but Chloe had some questions that she needed answers to. 

Nervously she asked, “Ryan, what is gonna happen to me now? Is the hospital calling my mom? Do I have to go home?”

“Since you’re over the age of 15, you’re allowed to consent to medical treatment without a parent or guardian present.* They aren’t going to call her.”

Chloe sighed in relief. 

“They do, however, have to report this to Child Protective Services. It’s illegal for the hospital to ignore, given the circumstances.” 

“Does that mean they’re gonna take me away to live in an orphanage or something?” Chloe really didn’t want that either.  _ Why can’t they just arrest the stepfucker so I can go home? _

“Well, we were thinking we could probably convince CPS and the police to let us take you until another guardian could be appointed. Are you comfortable staying with us?”

“YES! Yes, sir.” 

Ryan chuckled at her enthusiasm. “Well, okay then. I’ll go ahead and give Andy a call. Are you okay to speak with him right now?”

Chloe looked to Max. Chloe was pulling all of her energy from Max at this point. The girl looked as tired as she felt. She couldn’t let her down. “Yes, I can do it. If Max stays with me.”

“I’m sure that won’t be a problem. Alright, kid,” he sighed, “Let’s get this show on the road.”

* * *

Talking to Officer Berry was one of the most draining things Chloe had ever done in her entire life. She had to explain everything that she could remember from yesterday in detail. There was a photographer that came to take pictures of her injuries as well. They checked every inch of her body for marks. Chloe found it incredibly embarrassing and violating, but every time she looked at Max, she was greeted with an encouraging smile and nod.  _ You got this. Don’t be a pussy. You’re doing the right thing. She will keep you safe. _

When the police were finished,the doctor came into the room to provide home care instructions. Chloe was informed she was stuck in a sling for at least a week. She was told her arm wouldn’t be fully healed for four months. Additionally, she had to do a lot of resting. Chloe groaned at the news, but Max assured the doctor she would personally see that Chloe got the rest she needed and took her medications. 

Chloe couldn’t wait to leave. She wanted to park herself on the futon for days and watch all of Max’s movies and eat all of the snacks. She also wouldn’t mind using the bubble bath again. She was beyond elated that she didn’t have to go home. 

Once the family and Chloe arrived at home, Chloe could barely keep her eyes open. Max helped her down the steps and forced Chloe to take her time which Chloe found frustrating. 

“I’m so sorry, Max. This fucking blows.” Chloe felt like she might cry again. “You don’t have to do this. All you wanted to do was help me with my fucking homework and now look what I’ve done! I’ve gotten you and your family wrapped up in my shit!” She couldn’t hold her tears back any longer. “What the fuck is wrong with me?” 

Max guided Chloe into her bedroom and made sure the door was shut tightly before guiding her to her bed. Chloe sat on the edge of the bed with Max standing in front of her. 

“Listen to me.” Max grabbed her chin so Chloe was looking her in the eyes. She cupped Chloe’s cheeks and brushed tears away with her thumbs. “I’m so happy I became friends with you. I have absolutely no regrets. Sure, there’s a lot going on, but you don’t deserve to take all of that on alone. Don’t let that fucker make you feel guilty for experiencing something good.”

Chloe closed her eyes and nodded. She wasn’t able to get her tears under control. “Okay, Max. Thank you. God, what’s going on with me? I feel so many things. My eyes keep...leaking.”

Max chuckled and continued wiping away tears. “Give yourself a break. Do you need a recap of the last 24 hours? I’m pretty sure you’ve experienced a year’s worth of bullshit in a day.”

This made Chloe laugh. She sniffed and grabbed Max’s hand from her cheek. “I wish things were different.”

“They will be. Soon. If I have anything to do with it.”

“You’re incredible, you know? You really are.” Chloe was struggling to look Max in the eye now. Her cheeks started to flush. 

“Those meds really do something to you, huh? I should have asked them to scale it back a bit.” 

“It’s not the meds!” Chloe stood up from the bed and embraced Max with her good arm. “You’re incredible Maxine Caulfield. You’re smart, talented, funny... _ beautiful.  _ I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you know that.”

Max wrapped her arms around Chloe, finally accepting the hug. She could feel the heat coming from her cheeks, and she was sure Chloe could too. 

“Sorry, but um...did you just say that I’m-“

“You heard me, Max,” Chloe persisted. She gulped, her nerves making her wonder if she fucked up, but Max hugged her tighter. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I encourage you to look up the laws in your area regarding medical treatment for minors. If you are under legal age, there are ways for you to get medical and behavioral treatment. You can also get help with your sexual health. Medical entities cover the cost and you get the help you need. Please do not hesitate to seek medical help if you need it because you’re afraid your parents will find out or you don’t have the money. 
> 
> Okay, just want to make sure you all are taking care of yourselves. 
> 
> Yay for Chloe opening up a bit yeah? Letters said just messaged us about Max internally screaming about being called beautiful. She absolutely is :) 
> 
> I wanted to update you on a couple of things. First, there is still plenty to cover in this fic. I have more in store for all of you. Good and bad unfortunately. Second, I have an idea for my next fic that I’m kinda excited about. I guess that means uh....I’m not going away. 
> 
> I hope you’re all doing well! As always, thank you for your fabulous feedback. I know this is rough sometimes, so thank you for sticking with me. 
> 
> Until next time <3


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kickin it up a notch, y'all. Buckle up :)

Chloe was trying to fight her fatigue, but once Max started rubbing her back, she was a goner. After Max heard the blonde girl snoring lightly, she slipped out of her bed and headed upstairs to speak with her parents. 

As usual, her dad was standing over the stove making dinner. Her mom leaned against the counter opposite the stove, a glass of white wine in one hand, the other arm crossing her chest. Both parents looked at Max as she entered. Max had a feeling  they were just talking about her. 

“Hey, pumpkin,” Ryan said warmly with a tired smile. 

“Hey, dad.”

“Maxine...I don’t even know what to say. What...what the hell?”

“What are you asking me, mom?” Max had been waiting for this all day. She knew Vanessa wouldn’t be able to hold it in much longer.

“Why didn’t you tell us this was going on? Now there’s a very injured girl in our basement. If everything is as bad as she says, didn’t you consider this might happen eventually?”

Max clenched her teeth and tried to keep her anger in check. “Of course I did. Like I told you before, she wouldn’t let me do much about it. I tried everything that she would let me.”

“Well, if you’d told us, this wouldn’t have happened. Your father could have taken legal action long before that man pulled her arm out of its socket and bashed up her face!”

Max was done being polite, “I know that, mom! I know! Don’t you understand how fucking awful I feel right now? How worthless I feel for not being there for her when she needed me most?! I have to live with that for the rest of my life!”

“She’s right, Nessa. Just drop it,” Ryan said calmly. 

Flabbergasted, Vanessa began to yell. “I can’t believe you’re taking her side right now! This isn’t a time to play the ‘good parent’, Ryan!”

Ryan’s brow furrowed. “She did the right thing, Vanessa. I know that’s hard to see, but if Chloe didn’t have someone to trust, things could have been much worse. Chloe might not even be alive right now. She made her decision, in Chloe’s best interest, and it’s done. There’s no use in belaboring this. Despite what you may think, this is the best case scenario.”

“Unbelievable.” Vanessa rolled her eyes and started to walk out of the kitchen. 

“She’s a good girl, Ness. You have to learn to trust her judgment.”

Max and Ryan heard the bedroom door slam. Max had her arms crossed, tears in her eyes. 

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” he tried to soothe. “I really think you did the right thing.”

“She doesn’t think so,” Max sniffed. 

“She’ll realize it soon. You remember when you and Kate got a detention for playing a prank on that evil girl in your class? What’s her name?”

“Victoria Chase.”

“Yeah. Your mother was furious, remember?”

“Oh yeah. She tore me a new asshole.”   


“She did, but when she realized you did it because you were protecting your friends, she changed her tune.”

Max nodded. Ryan knelt down in front of her. 

“She has always been worried about you doing the right thing. Sometimes she worries too much. I know how hard it has been for you...your whole life.” He tucked a strand of Max’s hair behind her ear. “I know it doesn’t make up for all of it, but I’m sorry, Max. Your mother loves you and cares for you deeply. She’s just really stubborn and impatient, and it’s hard to get her to see things differently sometimes. ”

A tear ran down Max’s cheek. “I know.”

Ryan wiped the tear away, “I see the same fire in you as I do in her, you know? You want to protect everyone and do what’s right. I admire that beyond words. I am so incredibly proud of you.” Ryan pulled her into a hug. “You did so good, pumpkin. I will take care of her. I promise.”

“How?”

He released her and held onto her shoulders. “I don’t want you to worry about that. She’s staying here with us for the foreseeable future. You let me take care of the legal side of things. I’ll do whatever I can to put that prick away for a loooooong time.”

Max smirked. “Thanks, dad. She means a lot to me.”

Ryan returned to his feet and crossed his arms, a devious smile on his face. “About that. Should I be worried?”

“Worried?”

“Is it just me, or are you two…”

Max blushed. “It’s complicated, but no. We aren’t...we aren’t a thing.”

Ryan heaved a dramatic sigh, “Well, you had me fooled with the whole hand holding, and the sleeping in the same bed stuff. Oh! That pudding thing was so cute.”   


Max’s jaw dropped. “Oh my dog, dad. I’m leaving now.”

“Wait, wait. If you are interested in her and you two decide to start a relationship, just...please remember to take care of yourself too. She’s got a hard road ahead of her.”

“If you only knew how protective she is of me. It’s funny, I think we’re more worried about each other than ourselves. She’s the strongest person I know, and I know she would never hurt me.”

“Good,” he said sternly. “Dinner will be ready in a bit. I’ll bring you down a couple plates when it’s done.”

Max slinked into her room and softly shut the door. She looked over at the sleeping girl on her bed. Chloe didn’t look like she was very comfortable, but she continued to snore. Max tiptoed over to the bed and slid under the blankets, facing Chloe. 

* * *

Chloe felt something move her hair away from her face. Then the something touched her eyebrow, which kind of hurt, and then it traveled down her cheek. She forced her eyes open and saw Max’s beautiful blue eyes staring back at her. 

“H-hey.”  _ I feel like I can’t breathe.  _

“Hey,” Max replied, “Dinner will be ready soon. I thought you probably wouldn’t want to miss it.” Max continued caressing Chloe’s cheek.  _ Okay, so this isn’t exactly unwanted but this is so...intimate. I feel like I’m going to explode.  _

“W-What are we having?”

“Pretty sure he’s making chicken pot pie and mashed potatoes. He goes hard in the kitchen when he’s feeling stressed.” 

Chloe gulped, “Nice.”

Max’s hand froze and she quickly removed it from Chloe’s face. “I’m sorry.”

“No! No, it’s okay I just...I’m really nervous.”

“I understand. I’m sorry, I don’t know why I was doing it.” 

Chloe gathered up courage from the forgotten corners of her mind and muttered, “You don’t have to stop.”

Max’s eyes widened, but she wasted no time returning her hand back to Chloe’s face and hair. She traced the row of stitches in her eyebrow, outlined the bruises forming below her eyes from Nathan’s assault, and drew her fingers up Chloe’s jawline to her chin. 

Chloe couldn’t look anywhere but into the blue void she was bound to get lost in forever. Not that she minded. Max stared back waiting for the moment to shatter. 

Chloe found her words. “Your eyes are...blue.” Once the words were out of her mouth, she slammed her eyes shut, her body overflowed with shame.  _ Oh, yeah reeeeeeeally smooth, Price. That’s all you had rattling around up there? _

Max couldn’t hold back her laughter. “Um, thank you?” Max continued her ministrations but her body shook with laughter. 

Chloe’s cheeks turned red. “Fuck.”

“I hope this is okay to say...you’re really cute, you know?”

Chloe didn’t know how Max was able to keep her hand on her face because, surely, her face was now hotter than the surface of the sun. 

“Hey, girls, I’m coming down with dinner! Max, open the door for me please?” Ryan shouted down the stairs. 

“Got it!” She yelled back. She got up from the bed but struggled looking away from Chloe. When she finally did, Chloe placed her hand over her eyes and wondered if she’d ever have the lady balls to actually talk about whatever was going on between them after her supreme fuck up last night. 

* * *

They sat at the table in silence. Chloe insisted she feed herself, and even though she was struggling, she managed to eat at a slower than normal pace. Chloe watched Max attentively. Every movement she made was graceful. She became mesmerized by Max’s lips as she wrapped them around her fork.  _ You’re being fucking weird.  _ Chloe shook her head to bring herself back to earth. Max pretended she hadn’t noticed but wore a knowing smile while they continued their meal.

Having stuffed herself to the brim, Chloe heaved a sigh and tried to make some conversation. “So what’s the plan? What do we do now?”

Max wiped her mouth with a napkin and said, “You’re going to rest and get better. I’m going to make sure you do that.”

“What about school?”

“We’ll have to ask my dad about that. I don’t know if they’re going to arrest David or what’s going to happen, but one thing is for sure: he cannot and will not have access to you.”

Thinking about being near him again made Chloe’s stomach turn. It had only been a day since the incident, but it felt so long ago. The fear of having to face him again made her feel paralyzed. 

“Hey, you’re okay. You’re here with me and you don’t have to go anywhere.” Max placed her hand over Chloe’s. Chloe squeezed her hand and nodded in response. She let go after a moment, the silence returning.

Chloe began to fidget. The longer the silence continued, the more she wanted Max to say something. Really, there was only one thing she wanted to talk about. Something that was better for them to get out in the open sooner rather than later. Since she had spilled the beans about most everything else in the past 24 hours, she thought she might as well finish it out. _Cue_ _the lady balls._

“Are you all right?”

“I like you too, for the record,” Chloe blurted out. Liking the blueness of Max’s eyes didn’t provide enough of an incentive to look into them.  _ Why am I so ashamed?  _

Max set her fork down on the table gently. “Are...are you sure? I’m flattered, but you don’t look very sure. The last thing I want is for you to feel like you have to do this because you feel bad for turning me down. Or worse, that you owe me something!”

“No, it’s...it’s not that at all. I mean, I definitely owe you a lot, but it’s not like that.”

“Okay. Well, if you like me...are you okay with that?”

“I don’t really know. I’m terrified.”

“What are you afraid of?”

“I mean, other than the fact that I’ve never been with anyone before and I have no idea what I’m doing, I’m afraid that I can never be what you need or deserve.” Chloe began picking at her nails for something to do. 

Max crossed her arms. “How could that possibly be true?” she asked incredulously. 

“I’m just a broken girl from a broken home. I’m damaged goods. I’ll never amount to anything. Take your pick.”

“None of those things are true! That fucking asshole-“

“He told me,” Chloe’s voice shook as she spoke, “That if he found out I was gay that he would have to ‘teach me something else.’ Because, you know, him beating me were his ‘lessons.’ Apparently, the cure to homosexuality is rape. He said, ‘You know what we used to do to faggots in my town?’”

“W-what?”

Words were tumbling out of her mouth at this point. “That time he locked me out of the bathroom, when he finally let me in the bathroom, he insisted on watching me while I used the toilet. That’s why I didn’t take a shower until you offered me one. I didn’t want him to watch me. I was afraid he might decide that he wanted to...to…” she couldn’t finish the thought, actually choking on the words. “It made me feel so used and  _ disgusting _ . That’s what I am!”

“ _ Chloe _ …”

“I’m sorry,” Chloe sobbed. “I’m terrified because he will always be there, looming constantly, forever. I will always be this! You’re so brilliant, Max. You’re perfect. You don’t need me dragging you down.”

Max got up from her chair and went to Chloe. She straddled Chloe’s lap and latched onto her sobbing form. “No! No he won’t. That sick FUCK won’t do anything to you. Loving someone of any gender, or even someone with no gender isn’t wrong, understand? It’s okay to feel how you feel. None of what he did is your fault. Just because he is a pervert doesn’t make you ‘damaged goods.’ Fuck, I’m so pissed off right now, I can’t even think straight.”

“I’m sorry.”

Max pulled Chloe’s head back from her chest. “You don’t need to apologize to me. You’ve done nothing wrong.”

Chloe nodded in response.

Max smiled at her and wiped her tears away. “When I look at you, I don’t see a ‘broken girl from a broken home.’ I see a woman who has been fighting for years to survive in a place that should be safe for her. And what about what she deserves? I think she deserves to be loved, protected, and kept safe from that fucking bastard just as much as I do.”

Chloe returned her head to Max’s chest. Max held her until she had no more tears to cry. “I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much in my life,” Chloe tried to joke, “Sorry, you probably have my snot all over you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Max chuckled. 

“What now?” Chloe sniffed. 

“You mean us?” Max asked. 

“Yeah.”

“How about we just be us?” Max shrugged. 

“What exactly does that mean?”

“It means doing what we feel and what we’re comfortable with. It means taking our time and communicating. If you want to take the relationship further or if you decide that you’d rather just be friends, we talk about it. You know my feelings. If this is what you want, I want you to be comfortable with how you feel too.” Max pulled Chloe’s face from her chest. “For example, I have a very strong urge to do this right now.” Max leaned forward a bit and placed a gentle kiss on Chloe’s cheek. 

This simple act created a tidal wave of feelings that all crashed down on her in an instant. “Is that...okay?”

Chloe nodded slowly. “It made me feel things.”

“Good things?”

“Hella good things.”

* * *

The weekend was coming to a close, and Chloe was dreading returning to class. She didn’t want the stares, the pity, the (feigned) concern. Surely, everyone in the entire school knew what had happened by now. Arcadia Bay was a small town, and if something happened to an employee at the most prestigious high school on the Pacific coast, everyone was going to know.

The police arrested David on Saturday afternoon. He was suspended from his job at Blackwell in light of the pending charges against him. That was all Chloe knew, and Ryan would tell her nothing more. “You’ll be safe at Blackwell. Have Max or Warren or somebody help you from class to class, and you should be fine. The nurse has been made aware of your condition, so if you need to take a rest, you can go see him.”

Chloe nodded, “Yes, sir.” Part of her was looking forward to going just for a bit of normalcy. The past couple of days had been an absolute shit show, and all Chloe wanted to do was some math problems or read a goddamn book. She was going to hate being around everyone, but she wanted to power through it. For Max. 

Max had tried to convince Ryan and Vanessa to let her and Chloe stay home for the next couple of days, but they would hear nothing of it. “You’re safer at Blackwell,” Vanessa declared. She spoke directly to Max now, “You don’t need to miss that much school, anyways. Remember, you need to keep your grades up. You’ll be applying to colleges soon.”  _ Oh, yes, Vanessa, just go right ahead and add something to Max’s plate of anxiety.  _

After the lecture, they returned to Max’s room to watch a movie before they went to bed. “Why don’t I feel relieved?” Chloe asked as she sat on the futon. “I’ve been imagining this moment since I met the motherfucker and now…?”

“A LOT has happened in the past few days. Give your brain a chance to catch up. I’m sure you’ll get your relief.” Max smiled and began playing with Chloe’s hair. It had become kind of a routine over the past couple of days. They would come downstairs, sit on the futon, Max sat behind Chloe, and Chloe would nestle herself in between Max’s legs, resting her head on Max’s chest. Max played with her hair to her heart’s content, and they watched a movie. Everyone was winning. 

Except tonight, Chloe was extremely self-conscious about it. She hadn’t showered since before the incident, and it was really starting to show. She didn’t understand why Max would want to play with her greasy, clumped hair, but she never complained. 

“What’re you thinking about?” Max asked, noticing she wasn’t paying any attention to Jurassic Park. 

“Heh. How badly I need to bathe.” She had to get cleaned up, especially if she had to go to school and be around people tomorrow.

“Oh! Do you want to take a bath? A shower?”

“Well uuuuhhh I really like that eucalyptus bubble bath you have…” Chloe started sheepishly. 

“Mmmm oh yes. It’s amazing. Let me up, and I’ll get it started for you!”

Somewhat reluctantly, Chloe removed herself from Max. Max hopped up and ran to the bathroom. Chloe saw her gather all of the stuff Chloe would need and began running the bath water. “Okay, you’re good to go!” She smiled. 

Chloe stood and limped her way to the bathroom. She didn’t need much help, but she swore she could feel the soreness getting worse with each passing day. She only got to take medicine a couple of times per day as Vanessa strictly watched her painkiller consumption. It frustrated Chloe a bit, but she also appreciated that Vanessa gave enough of a shit to administer them herself. 

Once Chloe was in the bathroom, Max shut the door behind her. Now, truly alone for the first time in days, she realized that she had quite the problem. She had no idea how to take off her sling, her shirt, her bra. She’d been wearing the same pajamas since she left the hospital, and the nurses had easily shoved her body into them. _Now what?_ _Fuck!_

She turned the water off and paced back and forth for a few moments. She attempted to remove her sling, but couldn’t reach the clasp or figure out how to pull the strap over her head. She yelped in her final attempt, her shoulder moving in a way that it  _ really  _ didn’t want to. 

Max knocked on the door. “Chloe! Is everything okay?”

“Uuummm…”

Max cracked the door a bit. “Do you need something?”

“I can’t get out of my sling.”

“Oh! I’m sorry, I completely forgot how to teach you. The nurses gave me the rundown the other day.” Max came into the bathroom looking ashamed that she had forgotten something so obvious. 

“Oh.”

Max unhooked the strap that wrapped around Chloe’s torso, and then the shoulder strap.  _ Couldn’t have figured that one out, huh genius?  _ Chloe rolled her eyes at her own stupidity.

“Okay, now keep your arm at a 90 degree angle or you can let it hang straight down at your side.” Max smiled at Chloe and saw herself out of the bathroom.

Chloe looked down at the shirt she was wearing. It was another one of Ryan’s dad shirts. With the hand on her good arm, she grasped the bottom of the shirt, unsure about how to go about the next part of this without hurting herself. She pulled up on the hem of the shirt, tried wiggling her arm out of the arm hole while holding onto it with the other hand. She tugged at it with frustration hoping it would just rip off.

“Forget it,” she growled. “Sling me back up, SuperMax!” she shouted.

Max yelled back through the door. “What? I thought you wanted to-”

Frustrated, Chloe huffed, “I...I can’t…”

After a few moments, Max poked her head in. Chloe stood next to the tub, red faced and obviously angry and ashamed. She wouldn’t make eye contact with Max. “I’m fucking useless. I’ll just be a disgusting blob until I’m out of that sling.” 

“Why?”

Chloe fidgeted and looked at the floor. “Ercantgetmyshirtoff,” she mumbled incomprehensibly.

“What?” Max took a step closer to her.

Chloe gestured at the shirt. “I can’t get it off.” Her eyes refused to leave the floor. “Then, even if I did get it off, how the fuck would I get it back on? And my bra, I can’t unhook it. I’m screwed. Sling me, and let’s forget it. Sorry for the smell.”

Max blushed a furious red. “I can um...help you with that too if you want.”

Chloe’s eyes widened.

“Or I can go get my mom if that’s too weird or you know whatever I’m not trying to perv on you or like you know not that I don’t aaaahhh dog Max stop talking what are you doing?!” It was one sentence said in one breath. Max held her red face in her hands while Chloe stood in front of her awkwardly, not entirely sure what to say. She rubbed her arm and looked at the tub. She  _ really  _ needed a bath. 

Max was backing out of the bathroom slowly, “I’ll...yeah...just go get my mom and she can help you out. Yup, sorry.” Max shot her finger guns at Chloe.

“Wait!”

Max looked up at Chloe, her eyes wide. If Chloe was being honest with herself, she was far more comfortable with Max helping her than Vanessa.  _ Think. How do you feel about this? Is it making you nervous? Yes. Will it be awkward? Probably. Who do you trust more? Max. _

“I’d rather you...unless you don’t want to and you’re uncomfortable, I totally get that.”

“Are you sure?” Max’s voice wavered, out of fear or anticipation, Chloe wasn’t sure.

“Yeah.”

Chloe saw Max gulp as she approached Chloe. She moved slowly as if sudden movements would scare Chloe away, like a frightened bunny. When she was close enough, Max gently grabbed the hem of the shirt and rubbed the fabric with her finger tips. “R-ready?” 

The two finally made eye contact with each other. Chloe was sure her cheeks had turned pink. She nodded quickly and sucked in a breath. Max began pulling up the shirt and pulled it out a bit so Chloe could get her good arm through. When Chloe realized Max’s plan, she followed her lead. Next, Max lifted the shirt over Chloe’s head and slowly, gently, slid the shirt down Chloe’s injured arm.

The second the shirt was off. Chloe spun around, holding her injured arm across her chest as if it would make any difference. She took a deep breath and tried to remember the reason they were doing this in the first place. 

Max spoke, “Oh my god...Chlo…”

Realization dawned on Chloe. She was likely bruised, she knew she was too thin, but what she was sure caught Max’s eyes were the thick scars that covered her back.  _ Shit… _

“How?” she asked.

“Belt.”

“Why?”

“I asked my mom for food.”

Chloe felt Max get closer. She felt Max’s breath on her back, and it sent shivers down her spine. Chloe began to shake when she felt Max’s fingers on one of the thick ridges the belt had created on her skin. “I’m sorry,” she whispered

“It’s fine. I know it’s ugly. I forgot it was there. I didn’t mean to-”

“I know.”

Max’s hand slid up Chloe’s back, and then she brought up her other hand to unclasp Chloe’s bra. The sensation of the hand on her back made Chloe gasp. Chloe felt the bra release, so she held the fabric more tightly to her skin.

“You got it from here?

“Yeah. T-thank you.”

Both of them sounded like they were out of breath, the air too thick for them to breathe. Chloe was having a hard time reading Max at the moment.  _ Does she think I wanted the attention? Does she think I’m gross? _

“No problem.” Chloe looked over her shoulder and saw Max back away and then finally turn around at the door. “Let me know...when you...yeah.”

“‘Kay,” Chloe nodded. Pieces of her heart were crumbling away.  _ Max is grossed out for sure. _

“Chloe?”

“Mmm?”

“You’re so beautiful.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *fans self* I feel the heat coming off of them guys. The fire is growing.
> 
> I was super sick this week, so in between naps and intense coughing fits, I wrote. As you can see, a lot of things were written. :) I hope that you enjoy the calm.
> 
> Thank you to Blackadder and Letters as always. If you haven't read their stuff yet, I would highly recommend doing so. 
> 
> Thank all of YOU for your continued support. I know I say this every time, and I'm sorry if it's getting old. You guys are important. All of you.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *****CONTENT WARNING!!!*******
> 
> This chapter contains graphic depictions of violence. Reader discretion is advised.

“JESUS CHRIST ON A CRACKER! I hate this!” Chloe shouted as she waved her arms around as indicated on her physical therapy “homework.”

Max completed the exercises with her to be supportive. She laughed and said, “It’s not hurting you is it?”

Chloe huffed, “No, I’m just not sure it’s actually helping my arm. What it  _ is _ helping is my reputation as a total spaz.”

“Nobody thinks that,” Max said, placing her hands on her hips. “Right, Warren?”

He was feverishly flipping through a book and chewing on the end of his pen. He paid no attention to the girls in front of the picnic table.

“RIGHT WARREN?” 

The boy scratched his head and continued with his reading, completely oblivious. Max rolled her eyes, but then Chloe caught a twinkle in them. Max approached Chloe and grabbed her hands. “Well, if you look like a spaz then that means  _ I  _ look like a spaz. You don’t think I’m a spaz, do you, Chloe?” Max winked and placed Chloe’s hands on her hips. She then wrapped her arms around Chloe’s waist. 

_ Chloe_E_Price.exe has stopped working… _

“W-what?” Chloe gulped. She became very aware of the sensation of Max’s soft, pink shirt on her skin. For a second she considered moving her hands down further but caught herself mid-thought.  _ INAPPROPRIATE!  _

Max smirked and bit her bottom lip.  _ Okay, so she’s flirting. Alrighty! Say something really smooth. _

“Heheheh cool. I mean...yeah! Or...No!”  _ Goddammit.  _

Max giggled. 

In the few weeks that passed since the Sergeant Dickface Disaster, the undefined nature of their relationship allowed for some interesting developments. It was difficult, but when Chloe had a feeling of any sort, she tried her best to express it. She found the experience quite rewarding as the expression of feelings usually came with physical contact of some sort - cuddles, hugs, kisses on the cheek, etc. She was getting addicted to Max’s attention and was getting a bit greedy for it. She wanted more, and she wanted it all of the time. It made her feel the best she’d ever felt. 

Unfortunately, that was a feeling Chloe had difficulty expressing. Max had found the right buttons to effectively turn Chloe into human putty which led to a disconnect between her brain and her mouth. If she even thought about bringing it up with Max, her heart would beat so hard inside her chest that she thought it was going to explode. Chloe was almost positive Max knew what she wanted to say, but she never showed Chloe mercy. 

Chloe pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a sigh.

“You’re so cute,” she said with a smile.

_ I am dead. Dying. Gone. Will I ever get used to this? _

“Ms. Price!”

Principal Wells stomped toward them authoritatively with his usual scowl. “Ms. Price, if you could, please cease the PDA and accompany me to my office.” Still halfway in a daze, Chloe looked to Max and then to Principal Wells deciding she had better go with him, even if he had violently ripped her from bliss. “ _ Only  _ Ms. Price is to come with me, Ms. Caulfield. I will return her before her next class.”

_ What could this prick possibly want? _

Chloe followed a step or two behind him as she didn’t fancy making conversation. He led her past his secretary, who pretended to be busy when he walked in, and into his office where Ryan Caulfield sat in a chair facing the desk.

“Ryan?”

Ryan looked up from his phone and smiled at Chloe. “Hey, Chloe!”

“What’re you doing here? Did I do something wrong?”

“While your record may indicate that you are likely to break the rules, you were not brought here today because of any wrong-doing.”

_ A simple “no” would have been fine, you pompous windbag. _

“No, I came to talk about some things with you regarding your case,” he said, ignoring Wells completely.

“My case?”

“Yes. Ray, would you mind giving us a few minutes?”   


“Surely, I should stay if it is in regard to the welfare of one of my students-” 

“Ray, I need to speak with Chloe privately. I’ll fill you in on necessary details after we are done talking.”

Chloe couldn’t keep the grin from her face listening to Ryan shut down a man that had given her shit for years. When Wells noticed, he scowled. 

“I’ll just be right outside, then,” Wells sneered.

“Thanks, Ray.”

Once Wells was out of the room, Chloe rapidly looked from Ryan to the chair behind the large desk several times. Unable to restrain herself, Chloe stood up and ran behind the desk, falling back into the leather chair with an exaggerated sigh. “I’ve always wanted to know what it felt like to sit in this chair.”

Ryan chuckled. “You like it?”

“It’s even better than I imagined. Would you tell him if I stole it?”

“I won’t if you let me use it sometimes,” Ryan winked.

“Yeeeeah, Mr. Caulfield breakin’ the law! Nice.”

“Yeah. Really I just want to see that arrogant, two-faced jackass have a hissy fit about it.” This made Chloe laugh in earnest.

After a few moments, Ryan’s face turned serious. “Chloe, uh...I came here to talk to you about some things that have happened with your stepfather.”

“Stepdick you mean?”

“Yes, him.” The look on Ryan’s face made her extremely uneasy.

“What? What happened?” Chloe shifted in the chair making the leather squeak.

“Well, he has been released on bail, which is absolutely outrageous, but his lawyer is a real piece of work. He somehow convinced that judge that since he had no priors and that he’s an ‘honorable’ military man that he wasn’t a risk to anyone. Your mother put the house up as collateral.”

Nothing could have prepared Chloe for the emotional deluge. At first she was annoyed, but after some thought, it angered her, frightened her. She was in absolute disbelief her mother had put up the home her father built to pay for that asshole’s bail.  _ She literally SAW him hurt me!! How can she think he deserves to be anywhere but rotting in prison?! _

Ryan kept silent for a few moments while Chloe processed everything. Chloe cleared the despair from her throat and asked, “Okay. What now?”

“I will make arrangements for security around our house, and I will brief Ray on the situation. I’ll make sure the rest of his security team understands what’s at stake.”

“So, you think he will come after me?”

“I hope not, but he could. I’ve already filed for a restraining order, so if he tries to contact you in any way, you tell me right away, do you hear me?”

“Yes, sir.”

“That means calls, text messages, emails, literally anything. If you get a prank call, I want to know about it.”   


“Sure.”

“If you see him anywhere, find another person you trust, if you can, and go somewhere populated. Call the police immediately. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I know this is a lot to drop on you at once, but I needed you to know about it as soon as possible. I can’t even imagine what you must be going through, but please know that I am here to help you in any way I can.”

“Thanks, Ryan.” Her response was distant and distracted.

“I mean it. You mean a lot to Vanessa and I, too. Not just Max. Although, her interest in you has made us a little biased, I’m sure,” he smiled. Chloe attempted to smile, too. “We’ve got your back, kid. All of us.” Chloe nodded.

“Do you want me to take you back home, or are you okay to finish out the school day?”

“I’ll stay. It’ll distract me.”

“You’re a good kid, Chloe. Off with you now. Don’t worry about a thing!”

“Yes, sir.” With that, Chloe stood up from Principal Wells’ chair and left the room without another word. 

Principal Wells entered the room almost immediately after Chloe exited. “What can I do for you, sir?” he asked with feigned respect.   


“Ray, this is something very serious, and I swear to god if you fuck this up, you’re gonna have me to deal with.”

* * *

Chloe walked past the secretary who said something to her, but Chloe didn’t hear. When she made it to the front doors, she leaned against the press bar and let her head rest on the glass for a moment.  _ I should go tell Max, I guess. Fuck, I don’t want to do this anymore.  _ She hit her head on the glass.  _ We were just starting to get comfortable. _

Her eyes started to burn with tears. “Fuck this.”

She pushed the door open with force to relieve some of her anger. It wasn’t as satisfying as she hoped, but it frightened some underclassmen which she found quite pleasing. When she looked toward the picnic tables she noticed Kate and Steph had joined her and Warren. Warren said something to make the girls laugh, and strangely, he had his arm around Kate. Max threw her head back in laughter, her brown hair shimmering in the sunlight.  _ She’s gorgeous, especially when she laughs.  _

Part of her knew that she should go back to the table, sit with them, pretend like nothing was wrong, and explain the situation to Max later. She couldn’t do it. She went back inside the school, and headed toward the library where she knew she could find some peace and quiet. _If I wasn’t in her life, would she always be laughing and smiling?_ _I wish I could fucking disappear._

* * *

“What did I tell you, Max? I knew she’d come around!” Steph patted her on the back and sat next to her on the bench. Kate sat across from them, and Warren finally looked up from his book. 

Max smirked, “Well, it’s nothing official, but we’ve at least established that we like each other.”

“Oh, please. If I see her make googly eyes at you one more time, I’m gonna barf,” Warren said with a scoff. 

“Whatever! She does not-“

Kate interjected, “He’s right. She seems quite enamored with you. Honestly, I’ve known since she came to your party.”

“Really?” Max looked down at her jeans and rubbed her palms on her thighs.

“Don’t play all innocent, Caulfield. You’ve got her wrapped around your finger, and you know it!” Steph laughed. 

Warren used a high pitched voice and flipped his hands around exaggeratedly to mock Max, “Do you think I’M a spaz, Chloe? Put your hands on me, Chloe. Tell me how pretty you think I am, Chloe!” He made kissy faces at her until Max stood up and gave him a glare that warned she would slap him into the next century.

“You  _ were _ listening, you prick! I’m gonna kick your ass!”

“Leave her be, Warren. It’s so cute. Have you thought any more about asking her out on a date?” Kate asked, giddy. 

Max returned to nervousness. “I..I don’t know. She already lives with me. She’s probably so sick of me by now.”

“No, she’s not, Max. It seems like she’s only comfortable when you’re nearby,” Kate tried to soothe. 

“But with all that’s going on…”

“Surely she wants a break from it. I can’t believe all that Madsen asshole did to her. And for so long. If anyone deserves a night on the town, it’s Price,” Steph said. 

“Maybe,” Max wrung her hands in her lap. 

“Still thinking Portland?” Kate inquired. 

“Yeah, she’s never been out of the Bay, so I think it’s time to get her out.”

“Never?!” Warren asked, incredulous. 

“Nope. She told me her parents were saving up for a trip to France before her dad died, but they never really came close.”

“Jesus Christ,” Warren whispered. Kate slapped him on the arm. “I can’t imagine.” 

“SO PORTLAND!” Steph redirected. “What’s the plan? What do you do there?”

“I thought about doing a little shopping and maybe getting her something she likes. She desperately needs to be introduced to vinyl.”

“Oh, that’s a great idea!” Kate said excitedly. “She told me how much she loves music. Her taste is a little... _ rough _ for me, but I liked some of it.”

“Yeah. She likes some of my music, too, but she’ll never admit it.” Max smiled and looked back to her lap. 

“Then what? Details!” Steph urged. 

“Dinner somewhere. Something that’s not diner food or pizza. The girl needs some variety. I’ll let her choose. Then, I was thinking maybe a movie or something equally relaxing. We can just see where the night takes us.”

“Ahhh, a date on the fly. Sometimes those are the best ones.” Steph smirked and nodded her head in approval. 

“I don’t want to plan too much, you know? What if she wants to do something I didn’t plan for? I want her to do what she wants for once.”

Kate nodded, “That’s really sweet.”

Warren cleared his throat, and with a deep voice he asked, “Max, you know the move, right?” 

“The move?”

“Yeah! When you’re at the movies, or wherever you end up, and you want things to heat up a bit, you just…” Warren yawned, stretched his arms above his head, and then brought them back down. His left arm returned to his side, his right arm wrapped around Kate’s shoulders. 

All of the girls at the table laughed. “Dude, if you think that move actually works. Are you serious?” Steph shook her head. 

“It worked on Brooke!”

“No, Brooke just made you think it worked!” Kate said as the table continued laughing. 

As the laughter died down, Max’s anxiety flared. It was almost time for class and Chloe hadn’t returned. She looked across the lawn to see if she was on her way. The bell rang indicating the end of lunch. Max grabbed Chloe’s things and sent her a text. 

* * *

Chloe laid down on the floor in the most secluded corner of the library. She had stashed a blanket behind the shelf a while back, so she took it out and covered herself with it. She put up her hood and curled up into a ball. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. 

**Max:** Hey I have your things. See you in class? ^.^

Chloe thought for a few minutes before responding. She didn’t want to worry Max, but she needed a second alone. She felt so tired and wanted to forget. She didn’t feel like explaining  _ again  _ why her life was fucked up.  _ Poor Max. She must be so tired of me. Sad Chloe’s sad again. Hell,  _ I  _ need a break from me.  _

**Chloe:** I’m good. In the library. Need to be alone for a minute.

**Max:** What happened?

**Chloe:** Promise I’ll explain later. I’ll meet you at the car after class. 

Chloe returned her phone to her pocket, rolled over in her corner, closed her eyes, and tried to quiet her mind. 

* * *

**Max:** ok <3

Max deleted the message, retyped it, and deleted it again. Chloe was obviously not okay, and she didn’t want to upset her with incessant questioning. 

When she sat down in class, she began biting her nails and worrying about something she  _ must  _ have done to upset Chloe. She didn’t hear a single thing Ms. Hoida said while she replayed every conversation she’d had with Chloe that day. When she came up with nothing, she knew it had to be Wells’ fault. 

It crossed her mind that maybe it had something to do with David, but it couldn’t be. He was in jail. He couldn’t do anything to her now. Surely they’d know if he’d been released. Plus, if he was out, Chloe was safe at Blackwell. There’s security, a lot of people, there’s no way someone wouldn’t see him. Right?

She was so uneasy she was making herself feel sick. About halfway through the class, she grabbed hers and Chloe’s things and asked to go to the nurse’s office. Really, she needed to see Chloe to make sure she was okay. She wouldn’t even disturb her; she was just desperate to check

* * *

She didn’t know she was sleeping until she was being woken up. Someone shook her leg, then her shoulder. 

“Ow, fuck, stop it okay? I’m up!” 

Chloe opened her eyes, and it took several seconds before she processed what she saw. She was staring down the barrel of a gun, and her smiling, pornstached stepass was behind it. 

“Shhh,” he whispered and put his finger to his lips. 

Chloe’s eyes widened. 

“Get up,” he hissed.

She arose from her spot on the floor slowly. Her hands shook as she began to raise them.

“Don’t be an idiot,” he growled as he gripped her by the collar and threw her in front of him. “Walk.”

* * *

David shoved Chloe into his blue muscle car parked in the alley behind the building. David ran to the driver’s side door, got in, and peeled out of the alley as quickly as he could. 

Chloe glanced at him to see if she could determine his state of mind. He was smirking. 

“They’re gonna wish they let me install that camera system.” He chuckled to himself. “Without me they just have a bunch of fucking idiots working there. Skip didn’t even bat an eye when I told him I was just coming to ‘get things out of my office.’ Too bad for you, huh?”

_ He is fucking insane.  _ Chloe’s eyes widened as he spoke. She tried not to make eye contact with him.  _ Maybe when he comes to a stop, I can jump out of the car.  _ Chloe slowly reached toward the door handle to prepare for her escape. 

David’s mustache twitched into a smile. “If you open that door, I will shoot you before your feet hit the pavement.”

Her stomach turned with the realization that she might not get out of this alive. “Are you going to kill me?” 

“She speaks! Well, Chloe, are you going to be a good girl?” 

“What the fuck are you-“

“That’s not how a good girl talks, now is it?”

Chloe seethed and refused to gratify him with a response.  _ You sick son of a bitch.  _

David stroked his mustache and itched his chin. “You’ve never listened to me, Chloe. Always mouthing off, always undermining my authority. You embarrassed me more than you ever have. I’ve been locked up for WEEKS because YOU were telling LIES!” 

He accelerated the car to a frightening pace. 

“If my lessons aren’t working, then I thought we should try something different.”

“You were locked up because you’re an abusive piece of shit! Right now, you’re acting like a fucking psycho!”

He smiled wickedly, “Not psycho. I’m just a man deserves your respect. It’s not a lot to ask! You will learn to give me that respect...or die.”

Chloe felt her whole body shaking. Sweat was pouring down her face and neck. “My mom...she won’t let you…”

“Joyce was able to learn, Chloe. She does what I say and never questions my decisions. It would be in your best interest to do the same.” 

Anger ignited in her core, her fear being almost entirely replaced by rage. “What did you do to her, you sick fuck?”

He smiled, “Don’t you understand?  I can do whatever I want.”

Chloe wanted to scream at him. She fought against her rage to say as calmly and condescendingly as possible, “What’s wrong, David? Is your dick so small that you have to beat up a teenage girl and her mom to make you feel like a man?”

David swung his fist, hitting Chloe in the cheek. Chloe grabbed her face and shouted several obscenities. Her lip bled and the pain radiated through her entire face. 

“Fucking asshole.”

“You want another one?”

“If it makes you feel better, you fucking pussy.”

He didn’t hit her again, but she knew she was going to pay for that later.  _ How the fuck am I getting out of this?  _

* * *

Max arrived at the library and practically ran to the service desk. “Ms. Roberts, have you seen Chloe Price?”

Ms. Roberts looked confused. “Who, dear?”

“Chloe Price. Short blonde hair. Black hoodie and jeans. Looks like she hates the world.”

“Uh...oh yes! I saw her come in a little while ago. She’s the girl who keeps a blanket in the Religion section. I haven’t seen her leave.”

“Great! Thank you!”

Max jogged to the religion section of the library. She searched the aisles and found a lump at the end of one of them. She ran toward it and saw a blanket but no Chloe. 

This did nothing to ease Max’s anxiety. She ripped her phone from her jean pocket and started a text. 

**Max:** I got nervous and came to check on you. Where’d you go? >.<

* * *

David pulled Chloe from the car by her hair. He brandished the gun once more to let her know that if she attempted to escape he would shoot her. “You and I are gonna have a little fun this afternoon.”

He threw her onto the cement floor of the garage and hit the button that shut the garage door. The only way out was through the house. Chloe dragged herself along the floor. Her healing shoulder was screaming at her to stop moving, her scuffed knees begged for mercy. She heard the door come in contact with the cement.

BANG!

Chloe covered her head in fear and curled into the fetal position. David had fired at her, but she didn’t feel anything hit her. When she looked up, she saw a hole in the floor next to her head where the bullet had hit.

“Get off the floor.” When she didn’t do so immediately, he yelled, “NOW!”

Chloe scrambled to her feet and stood before David shaking, sweating, barely breathing. 

“You see that chair over there? Sit.”

On shaking legs, Chloe made her way to the chair, slowly, afraid that a sudden move would make him shoot at her again. She sat facing his work bench. David disappeared behind her and rustled around for a few moments. He returned with a rope which he promptly wrapped around Chloe. “Hands behind your back,” he demanded. She did as she was told. He tied the ropes so tightly her fingers were already going numb. 

“Great. Now that we’re all comfortable, let’s get down to business.”

Chloe felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.  _ Max! I know it is. I hope he didn’t hear that.  _ She hoped against hope that Max would figure out something was really wrong.  _ You’re so smart, Max, please. Please call the police.  _ She continued to chant that in her head like it might help Max figure it out on some telepathic level. It was bullshit, but she couldn’t do anything else. 

“Where’s mom?”

David huffed in annoyance. “She’s upstairs. She won’t help you, so don’t even try.”

“MOOOOMMM!”

David turned to slap Chloe across the face. “SHUT UP! Do you think she gives a single shit about you?!”

Chloe whimpered. Her eyes stung with tears, and her body boiled with rage. “Fuck you.”

David slapped the opposite cheek this time. “Always so mouthy. I knew you would be a handful since the day I met your mother. I knew I had to do whatever it took to get you under control.”

“A grown man’s life revolves around a teenage girl’s. Sounds kinda pervy, don’t you think?”

He went for her gut this time and knocked the wind from her lungs. Her diaphragm struggled to function. 

“If you continue talking, I will hook you up to a fucking car battery, do you understand me?”

Chloe nodded knowing she couldn’t take much more as it was. 

“Do you know why you’re here?”

“Because you’re a psychopath?” she choked out, unable to keep herself from smarting off.

“You belong at home. With your mother and father.”

Chloe had a few things she wanted to say to David in this moment but she wanted to make one thing clear, “You’re not my father.” 

“I am now. It’s clear you desperately need a father figure. I know you’ve been living at the dyke girl’s house for weeks. Since you ran away from home.”

“You think YOU’RE a father figure?! HA! I didn’t run away from  _ home.  _ I ran away from  _ you. _ ”

David smiled a smile that sickened Chloe, like he knew something she didn’t. “I think the judge will think differently when he sees this video.”

David opened one of his cabinets and revealed a television. He hit play and Chloe saw herself moving about her bedroom gathering clothing and then, with extreme difficulty, slipping out her window. Judging by the angle, the camera was hidden somewhere in her closet. “We can’t keep her under control, judge,” he recited in a saccharine tone, “She constantly lies, sneaks out, I’ve found drugs on her on numerous occasions. She’s lied so much, and now she’s telling lies about me!” He was able to create some fake tears.

Chloe didn’t know where to start. “W-what the fuck?! You’ve been spying on me?!”   


David laughed, “For years! I’ve watched you go out on the roof to smoke weed, I’ve watched you sleep...I’ve watched you grow into a beautiful woman.”

Chloe’s stomach turned. “You’re fucking sick!”

David grinned. “I don’t understand women. You show them a little appreciation, and they think you’re a pig.”

Chloe fought against her restraints, but her rage wasn’t enough to free her. 

“Or maybe it’s because you’re not interested in men. I told you, Chloe. I will not tolerate  _ fags  _ in my home.”

Terror coursed through her veins as she remembered his threat from before. “I-I’m not.”  _ LIE BETTER. LIE BETTER. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! _

“You sure? Think reeeeally hard before you answer.”

“I’m not.”

David placed the gun on the workbench before reaching up to grab a file folder on top of a cabinet. He turned back to Chloe with a knowing grin and showed Chloe a photo of her and Max in Ms. Grant’s classroom. He threw it on the floor in front of Chloe.

A picture of her and Max on the front lawn at Blackwell, of Max’s house, of Max, of Ryan and Vanessa. One by one, they fell to the floor. He started on another stack. 

A picture of Chloe and Max sharing funnel cake.

A picture of Chloe scowling at Steph.

A picture of Chloe laying into Nathan.

“You wanna keep telling me you’re not in love with her?”

Chloe shook her head in disbelief. Her lip quivered as she looked at all of the times David violated their privacy. She felt dirty, used. “What do you want from me?” she whispered. “Why the fuck do you care who I love?”

David responded with a wild look in his eyes. “This isn’t about love. It’s another act of defiance, a way for you to embarrass me and your mother. You’ve gone too far this time. You need to be put in your place.” He unbuckled his belt and walked toward her. She closed her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek. Her insides screamed.  _ You’re gonna die after this, so it won’t matter. Just get through it. Don’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he’s hurting you. It will all be over soon…I’m so sorry Max.  _

She heard David unzip his fly. She didn’t see him, but she could feel his presence engulfing her. He leaned forward toward her. She felt his hot, disgusting breath on her cheek. He smelled sweaty. He caressed her cheek with his callused fingers and kissed her lips. He bit down on her, hard, making her bleed. His mustache and stubble scratched her face as he hovered around her. He ran a hand slowly up her thigh, inching closer to the place he so obviously wanted to touch.  She tried to pull herself away but she couldn’t escape from his overbearing presence above her. 

He breathed into her ear. “I’ve been waiting so long-”

“Stop! No!” she screamed, “Get the fuck away from me!” She flailed around trying her best to keep him away.

“Get away from her NOW, or I will blow your FUCKING head off!”

David froze for a moment with a look of surprise on his face. He turned slowly to see the small figure of Max Caulfield pointing his own gun at him. 

He spoke first. “How did you get in here?”

“Front door, dumbass. It wasn’t locked. Put your hands up and step away from her.”

Chloe was relieved and terrified simultaneously.  _ Max, you fucking ninja, what are you doing?! Get out of here before he hurts you too!  _ She tried her best to convey the message with her eyes. 

David ignored Max’s command. “I will not be ordered around by someone who is trespassing on  _ my  _ property and is pointing  _ my  _ gun in my face!”

Max cocked the hammer and placed her finger on the trigger. “I don’t think you’re in a position to argue.”

David stepped away from Chloe and turned around to fully face Max. He raised his hands lazily and rolled his eyes. “You’re not gonna shoot me.”

Max smirked at that. Chloe was stunned at her confidence and her steadiness. She didn’t take her eyes off David. “You okay, Chlo?”

“Y-yeah.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner. I’m going to call the police now. Madsen, if you move, I will shoot you.”

She held the gun with one hand and pulled her phone out with the other. “I’m at 44 Cedar Avenue. We need police and an ambulance. I found David Madsen torturing my girlfriend. He threatened her with a gun, has her tied to a chair. I walked in on him with his pants down and kissing her. I have the gun. Yes, please stay on the line.” She placed the phone down on the workbench and took proper aim once more.

David was red-faced and fuming. “I’m going to kill you, you little bitch,” he seethed

“What was that? A little louder, I don’t think the dispatcher heard you.”

Chloe began sobbing, unable to hold it back any longer.

“Chlo, it’s all right. We’ll be home soon.” Her voice shook only slightly. Chloe wouldn’t allow herself to believe Max.  _ There’s no way I’m getting out of this one. I hope she does.  _

“Max, leave me, please!” she sobbed. “Run and get help! If you get hurt I’ll-”

“I’m not leaving you! We’ll get through this. Just a bit longer.”

“You two make me sick. If you were my child-” 

“You’d rape me to set me straight? Oh yeah, that would work. Not disgusting at all.”

“There’s no place for scum like you in this world,” he retorted. 

“Eat shit and die,” Max growled.

With a growl, David lunged at Max.

“NO!” Chloe shouted.

David grabbed a hold of her arms and tried to raise them above her head. Max tried her absolute hardest to keep him from doing so, but his strength was much more than her own. Knowing she was losing this battle, Max jerked her leg upward to knee him in the dick. 

“GAH! FUCK!” While he was distracted she tried to struggle out of his grasp, but she wasn’t strong enough. 

“Give me the gun, you bitch!” He smacked her across the face with all of his might. 

“YOU MOTHERFUCKER!” Chloe screamed. She struggled harder against her restraints. “I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!”

David paid no attention to Chloe. Max staggered, blood dripped from her nose. David used the moment to try and gain the advantage. 

“Give…me...the gun,” he growled to her. He tried a different method this time by shoving her arms downward. He pried one of her hands away from the gun, with the other hand he held the barrel. 

“No! AaaaaaAAAAHHH!”

David bent her hand backward to break her wrist. 

“MAX!” Chloe yelled still attempting to break free. She tried scooting the chair closer to the brawl to help in any way she could. 

He grabbed onto her wrist when she tried to pull away making her wince and yell out in pain.  “Tell you what. I’ll let you watch…”

He pressed harder and harder into her forcing the barrel down toward the floor. 

“GET OFF ME, FUCKER!” With all of her might, she attempted to shove him away.

BANG!

The noise was deafening. Everything in the room froze momentarily. Max and David fell into a clump on the floor, David pulling Max on top of himself. David howled in pain.  Blood poured from a massive wound in his leg as he screamed. He looked pathetic laying there, his pants still unzipped.

“MAX!” Chloe sobbed. She tried to scoot closer. “GODDAMMIT! MAX!”

Max pulled her arms from David’s grasp. She adjusted the gun in her hand to get a better grip and rushed over to Chloe, who had come a considerable distance despite her restraints. Max’s panic had begun to surface. She shoved the gun into her waistband and cupped Chloe’s cheek, “You okay?” When Chloe nodded fervently, she ran behind her to begin untying the rope.

“Fuckin...shit!!” she yelled. Chloe felt the rope slacken. By the time she stood up, Max was at her side. She held her wrist close to her body. There were tears in her eyes and her teeth were clenched. She had pulled the gun back out of her waistband and pointed it at David. 

He groaned on the floor. “You shot me, you bitch!”

“And I’ll shoot you again if you try anything else!” she choked out through the tears. Chloe could see her whole body trembling.  

“M-max…” Chloe placed her hand on Max’s shoulder. 

She didn’t react at first. She seemed kind of dazed and distracted. She turned to Chloe, tears pouring from her eyes, her lip quivering, and whispered, “I shot him.” She looked behind her to see David who had managed to prop himself against the workbench. He screamed while he tried to staunch the flow of blood. It was hard not to stare at the amount of blood that was coming out of him. It was making her queasy, and she could see Max had paled. 

Chloe did the only thing she could think to do and pulled Max to her and wrapped her arms around her. “It’s okay,” she said. She didn’t know if it was true, but she had nothing else to say. Max eased into the contact a bit and nuzzled her face into Chloe’s neck, her arms hung limply at her side. Chloe did the same. She couldn’t look at the blood anymore. She shuddered, letting her tears flow freely. “It’s okay.”

As they stood there, they heard the police sirens in the distance and coming closer.  _ Please let this be the end.  _ She held Max tighter. 

Chloe looked up from Max’s neck when she heard David  _ roar _ . “BITCH!” She saw him plunge a screwdriver into Max’s right calf. She screamed so loudly it made Chloe’s ears ring. Chloe watched in horror as Max dropped the gun and fell to the floor in pain. 

David made eye contact with Chloe for a split second before lunging forward toward the gun. Without hesitation, Chloe leaped toward David. Her foot landed on his hand mere millimeters away from the gun. After a satisfying crunch, David pulled his hand away from the gun and once again yelled out in pain. 

Chloe’s rage overtook her entire body. She launched herself on top of David and pinned his arms down with her knees. “You fucking BASTARD!” she yelled, bringing her fist down to his nose. She felt it burst under her knuckles as it gave a sickening squelch.

“YOU....RUINED...MY...LIFE!” She yelled, each word accentuated by a punch. 

“YOU TURNED MY MOTHER AGAINST ME!” She knocked out some of his teeth.

“YOU SPIED ON ME FOR  _ YEARS _ !” She grabbed his head and slammed it into the cement. 

“YOU’RE NOT TAKING AWAY THE ONE PERSON THAT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME!” She punched him again. His face was becoming pulp, he was almost unrecognizable. 

She heard the door burst open, but she didn’t stop her assault. 

“WHOA, WHOA, CHLOE! YOU GOT HIM, HE’S DONE!” It took several officers to pull her off of him. 

“CHLOE! CAN YOU HEAR ME?” Chloe recognized the face of Officer Berry but had trouble comprehending what he was saying. The world swirled around her as she began to realize what happened. She felt like she could vomit. 

“CHLOE!”

_ Max? _

Her ears began to ring. Her heart hammered against her ribcage so hard it threatened to beat out of her chest. Her fingertips tingled and her skin felt fuzzy. 

“Chloe, you’re all right,” Officer Berry said calmly. He held her gently as she lost consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. I want to apologize for a lot of things. Most of the apologies should be applied to the content of this chapter. Even though it was graphic and upsetting, I hope that you got some satisfaction. Perhaps some relief? I hope you're all okay. If not, I'm always willing to talk about whatever you want. 
> 
> I also want to apologize for taking so long. Since you've finished the chapter, I imagine you understand why I would avoid writing it. I went back and forth for weeks about whether or not I should even finish the story. I thought about scrapping it all and convinced myself I wasn't good enough to write it or to be here. Depression is real, folks. 
> 
> My sincerest apologies to all of you. Thank you all for sticking with me and for taking your time to read this. Only a chapter or two left!
> 
> Without Letters and Adder, I would be totally fucked. They are the best. 
> 
> On a final note, yes, I intentionally made it so David's plan made absolutely no sense. Everybody wave goodbye to the stepdouche!!


	16. Chapter 16

Consciousness returned slowly, but Chloe fought against it. She didn’t want to exist. Memories started assaulting her semi-alert brain, and once she made sense of them, she jumped awake with a gasp. 

“MAX!” She screamed.

“Hey, hey, hey, relax. She’s okay,” Officer Berry said calmly. “They’re loading her into an ambulance now.”

Chloe struggled against the officer, determined to find Max to see for herself. The stepdick was still lying on the floor in front of them, groaning. 

“Easy now, you’ll pass out again,” Berry said.

Chloe got to her feet, as did Officer Berry, but he stopped her from running off toward the ambulance that she could see from the now open garage door. The ambulance siren blared and it pulled away from the house. 

Chloe went to run after it, but Officer Berry held her in place. “LET GO OF ME!” She struggled against him with all of her might, beating her fists into his chest. Another wave of nausea hit her as her knees gave out. 

“Easy!” Berry caught her in his arms and steadied her. “Chloe, listen to me! I’ll take you to her! You need to relax. Let’s get in my car, we’ll drive to the hospital, and we can talk about what happened.”

Chloe took a few deep breaths to try and calm her racing heart and mind. “O-okay,” she agreed as she continued her fight to stay conscious.

He reached out to guide her to the car but she flinched and ripped her arm away. “Don’t touch me!” she snapped. 

Officer Berry raised his hands in surrender. He then led her to his police car where she went to get into the back seat. “You know you’re not under arrest, right? The front seat is fine.”

Chloe did as instructed and sat in the front seat. When the officer took his place at the wheel, she couldn’t help but feel out of place, “This is weird. Never been up here before,” she observed.

“Not many people have the opportunity,” he said, pleased she seemed to be in a calmer mood. He started the car and drove away. After a few moments he cleared his throat. “Can you tell me what happened?”

Chloe gulped. “He woke me up in the library at Blackwell, pointed a gun in my face, made me get into his car. He brought me home and…” she couldn’t get her throat to work properly. It felt like it was closing.

“Take your time,” Berry said quietly. 

“He beat me up and...tried to rape me.”

Chloe sensed Berry tense up. “His pants were down,” he said more to himself than Chloe. 

“Yeah.”

“And Ms. Caulfield? How did she get mixed up in this?”

“I don’t really know. She was just  _ there  _ and a total fucking badass. He left the gun on the workbench, she slipped in and grabbed it while he was…” The pause was so long, he understood. 

“They got into a fight over the gun. That’s how he got shot. After she untied me, I hugged her and the  _ piece of shit _ …he stabbed her in the leg.” She wiped her face with her hand. “I...I just fucking  _ lost  _ it.”

Officer Berry nodded.

“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have...am I in trouble? Fuck! I didn’t even-“

“Chloe, don’t apologize. I...I shouldn’t...you,” he stuttered. “You beat the shit out of him, yes, but I promise it’s going to be okay. Both you and Max were clearly acting in self defense. You did what you had to do.”

Chloe’s eyes filled with tears once more. Her thoughts began spiraling out of control.  _ What’re Ryan and Vanessa going to think? They probably won’t ever let me see Max again. I got her  _ stabbed _. Will she even want to talk to me again? _

“I have to ask, how long have you known me? Your entire life? I’ve known your mom since high school for Christ’s sake. How come you...why’d you...why didn’t you come to me with this? Why didn’t Joyce?! I just read over your case file this morning when Ryan filed the restraining order. I know it’s been going on for a long time...just...why?”

“My mom didn’t believe me. Why would you?”

* * *

  
Chloe had been pacing in the waiting area for about 10 minutes before she saw Ryan and Vanessa rush to the front desk, frantically asking for information about Max. 

Chloe had been told several times to wait patiently as Max was in surgery and the nurse “didn’t receive updates on her condition every five seconds.” Chloe rolled her eyes again. 

Upon seeing them, she attempted to hide in the corner of the room next to a guy who had very few teeth and reeked of cigarette smoke and sweat. He grunted at her as if to ask why she sat next to him. She said, “Fuck off, dude. Deal with it.”

“Teenagers,” he grumbled. 

“Is Chloe Price here?” Chloe heard Vanessa ask. 

“Yes ma’am I instructed her to wait over there...where did she go?”

Chloe had put her hand up over her face.  _ They are going to kill me. They hate me. I can feel it! If it wasn’t for my stupid ass, Max wouldn’t be here.  _

“We see her, thank you,” Ryan said. 

_ Fuck! _

She refused to look at them even when they were standing right in front of her. 

“Chloe,” Vanessa said, surprisingly calm. 

Chloe didn’t respond. She was going to cry again, and she was pissed about it.  _ Come on, just let me have it. Get it over with.  _

“Chloe,” Vanessa said again. She had knelt down in front of her. Vanessa reached up, grabbed Chloe’s chin, and slowly turned her head so Chloe would look at her. 

When their eyes met, the tears began to fall. 

“Honey,” she whispered as she caressed her swollen cheek. Chloe was not expecting this gentleness, especially not from Vanessa, and it made her cry harder. 

“Ryan, go ask the nurse for some ice! I can’t believe they haven’t even offered to help her. Come with me, hon, we’re going to get you cleaned up.” She grabbed Chloe’s hand to guide her up and realized how damaged they were. They were already bruising. 

With a huff she started barking orders at the front desk ladies. “Excuse me! Did you not see that this girl is in need of some medical attention. There’s dried blood all over her, she’s shaking like a leaf! Can we get her in  _ now,  _ please! I want her checked over completely. X-ray her hands, too.” 

The staff was stunned but did as they were told. Chloe was placed in a wheelchair, and Vanessa insisted she push it. “I’ll do it. I want to make sure she gets where she needs to go!”

Once they were in a room, Vanessa helped Chloe to the bed. Ryan skidded into the room and handed Chloe the ice. “Put it on your cheek,” he said. 

Vanessa appeared suddenly in front of her with a wet cloth. “I’m going to clean you up a bit, okay?”

“Let me snap a picture of her first. Sorry, Chloe.” He did so quickly. Chloe’s cheeks reddened with embarrassment.  _ I must look like complete fucking shit.  _

“Look up at me, hon.” Chloe did as instructed even though she wanted to argue. She really didn’t know what was happening and didn’t want to piss her off further. Vanessa wiped her lip and under her nose. She went over her cheek and brows so gently it was almost comforting. 

Ryan spoke, “Chloe can you tell us what happened? Please?”

She looked between Vanessa and Ryan, and everything came out as word vomit. When she finished, she could only hope it was coherent. She cried harder, so hard she couldn’t breathe. 

“It’s all my fault! I left the office and...I should have gone back to her. Gone to class! Then we wouldn’t be here.”

“Honey, no. This is  _ not  _ your fault.” Vanessa watched her confession in awe. “It’s not your fault, sweetheart.” She sat on the bed with Chloe and hugged her. Chloe sat there, frozen. 

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Ryan reiterated. “I wish I’d have made you come with me…”

“STOP, NOW.  BOTH OF YOU. There is no one to blame but the sick bastard that did this. It happened, but it  _ will not  _ happen again.”

“W-what? Why? You don’t-“

“You’re our responsibility, and we are going to take good care of you,” Vanessa smiled. 

Ryan nodded in agreement with a soft smile. 

“I’m sorry,” she sniffed. 

“No more apologies, hon. You have nothing to be sorry for. Now, let’s get your hands cleaned up, then buzz the nurse to demand that x-ray and an update on Maxine’s surgery,” she grinned wickedly. 

_ She’s gonna make their lives hell.  _ Chloe’s face finally broke a smile. 

* * *

  
Thankfully, Chloe hadn’t broken any bones in her hands. They were badly sprained, however, so they made her sit still with ice packs all over her body and given some pain reliever. 

After a few hours, the Caulfields were called back to the room where Max had been placed. She stayed put when they rushed out of her room.  _ She might be really pissed at me and not want to see me. I’d just be in the way. They need their family time, anyways. They haven’t had much of it with me around.  _

She lay worrying, until Ryan appeared in her doorway. “She’s asking for you, kid.”

Chloe was stunned. “Really?”

He chuckled. “Yes, of course. Come on.”

He led her to a room still bustling with nurses. Vanessa sat on the side of the bed with Max’s hand in hers. “I wish you’d have told somebody. You didn’t have to be the one to rush in there!”

“Yes I did, mom.” Max sounded exhausted and in no mood to be having the conversation she was having. Chloe’s entrance was the distraction she so desperately wanted. “Chloe!” Her smile was tired. 

“Hey,” Chloe said awkwardly. She rubbed her palms on her pants and rocked on her heels. 

“Ness, let’s give them a minute alone.” Chloe jumped forgetting Ryan was behind her. 

Vanessa stood up from Max’s bed, a slight smile on her face. “It’s okay. Go on,” she whispered as she passed. 

The room was empty now. The two stared at each other in silence. Chloe was the first to speak. “I understand if you’re pissed at me. If you don’t want me around-“

Max rolled her eyes. “Chloe Elizabeth Price, if you don’t get your butt over here right this minute, I  _ will  _ be pissed!” She motioned Chloe over. 

Hesitantly, Chloe approached Max’s bedside. Max patted the place Vanessa vacated, so she sat down. Chloe had difficulty looking into Max’s eyes, but Max persisted looking at her face and smiling. Chloe nervously rubbed the back of her neck, “So umm...how are you feeling?”

Max giggled, “Kind of like I got stabbed in the leg.”

“How bad is it?”

She shrugged, “Nothing major, but I’m going to have trouble walking for a while.”   


“And your wrist is broken?”

“Definitely.”

They were silent once again. Chloe fidgeted and picked at her fingers.  _ She saved your life and you’re gonna sit here like an ungrateful lump. Good idea. _

“Max…” 

“Don’t you dare apologize to me.”

“But I-”

“Nope. Don’t.”

With a shaking hand, Chloe reached toward Max’s cast-less hand. She picked it up and held it in her lap, caressing it softly. Chloe didn’t look up, but she could feel Max beaming at her. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome,” she replied. Her grip tightened around Chloe’s hand.

“You’re fucking crazy, you know?” She finally had the courage to look at Max. Her smile alone made Chloe blush. 

“I learn from the best. Have you met my mother?”

Chloe snorted.

“Will you...lay here with me?” Max asked sweetly. “I feel really gross. You’re the only thing that’s making me feel good.”

“You need more drugs then. I’ll get the nurse.”

“Chloe!”

“I was kidding, Super Max. I’m here.”

Chloe got up and then slid onto the bed with Max, who immediately curled into her side. Max slid her casted arm around Chloe’s waist and sighed contentedly. 

“Hey, Chlo?”

“Hmm?”

“Is it just me, or is your heart beating like, really fast?”

Chloe smiled. “It’s just you.” If Max caught the meaning, she didn’t say so. 

* * *

“Are you sure you want to do this now?” Ryan asked as he put his car into park in front of the Price household. 

Chloe nodded. “I want to get this done and never come back.” 

“Would you like me to come with you?”

“No. I’ll be fine.” Chloe unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed out of the car. She took a deep breath before heading toward the front door. She ascended the steps and placed her hand on the door knob. 

_ Weird. I don’t have to sneak in this time.  _

That simple thought brought back the memories from the week before. She pushed the door open wide and stood there, trembling. 

_ He’s not here. He’s not here.  _

She took an unsure step toward the stairs. When she did, she instinctively shielded her eyes from the garage door beside them.  _ Really? Like that’s gonna make you forget it happened. _

She forced her arm down and bolted up the stairs to her room. When she entered, she was a bit shocked by what she saw. The posters that once adorned her walls were removed and torn to shreds. Her mattress was overturned, her desk flipped on its side.  _ He must have thrown a little bitch fit before he came to get me.  _

She walked to her closet and opened the door. Sure enough, the camera he used to spy on her remained. Her fists clenched before she reached up and ripped it from its place on the wall.

She threw it on the ground with a grunt. “YOU SICK FUCKING BASTARD!” She screamed. She stomped on it a few times before deciding she wanted it to be  _ out _ . She picked it up and threw it with all her might at the window by her bed. The glass shattered and they camera flew out of the window.  _ Gone.  _

There was only one reason why Chloe wanted to come to her Home Shit Home. She had grabbed the photo of her and William before she escaped, but there was something else. One more thing. 

She reached under her bed, grabbed the item, and ran quickly to Ryan’s car before she had time to think about the memories this place held. When she got back in, she was sweaty and out of breath. 

“You alright?”

“Mmm.”

“I saw the glass shatter up there. You weren’t hurt, were you?”

She shook her head in response. With that, Ryan put the car in reverse and pulled out of the driveway. Chloe leaned her head against the window and exhaled a deep breath she had taken.  _ Goodbye, dad.  _

* * *

Ryan and Chloe returned to the Caulfield household in silence. When he parked the car in the driveway he asked, “How you doing, kid?”

“Fine,” Chloe said flatly.  _ You’re allowed to feel shitty. Max told you so. _

She sighed. “It’s hard not to think about how fucked up everything is sometimes.”

“It’s okay to think about it, but don’t let it keep you from moving forward.”

Ryan held the front door open for her as she traipsed towards the house. As they entered, Vanessa’s voice carried down the steps from the living room. 

“I can’t let this go. It’s going to come up in court! Why didn’t you call for help, Maxine? You could have been killed by that psycho!”

“I know, mom. Jesus Christ, can you keep your voice down, please? I have a headache.”

Chloe looked at Ryan with concern. “Go downstairs. I’ll break this up.”

Chloe reluctantly followed his instructions. She heard Ryan mutter, “I told her....”

Chloe pulled the door around behind her and went to closet to hide the item she retrieved from Max. She heard Vanessa’s volume increase, so she couldn’t help herself from returning to the door. 

“I need you to tell me  _ why _ you would do something so completely idiotic!”

“Vanessa!” Ryan called. “Enough! She needs to rest. We don’t need to bombard her with questions!”

“Yes we do! That man’s attorney is going to pull out all the stops and you know it!”

The two continued to bicker. It was hard to make out what they were saying as their voices increased in volume. 

“STOP!” Max bellowed, her voice so loud Chloe stepped back from the doorway, startled. The parents quieted immediately. 

“I get it, okay! You think it was stupid. I’m well fucking aware!”

“Maxine you will not-“

“No, mom, I will! I’ll tell you exactly why I did it since you’re so fucking concerned!”

She huffed and said, “Have you ever  _ known _ , actually felt, that something terrible was happening? Huh?” Chloe didn’t hear a response, but Max continued. “Well, I did. You feel your heart drop into your stomach and the feeling spreads throughout your entire body. I fucking knew exactly what happened, and the  _ first  _ thing I thought about was her. I  _ promised _ her, mom. I told her that I’d keep her safe. I promised her that if she needed me, I would be there. Yeah, I could have called for help, I could have done things differently, but all I cared about was finding the person that I love and keeping her safe. We got a little beat up, I know, but if I were a second later…”

Chloe could hear the tears in her voice. 

“I don’t expect you to understand. It’s easy for you to stand there and judge my decisions after the fact. I  _ love  _ her mom. I love her, and I did the right thing whether you think so or not! I will never regret it.”

_ Ikjgfhhcfhfgjkfddgufvnkdsrgusrryjk.  _

Max’s crutches clicked as she made her way down the stairs. When she turned the corner to come down the flight to her room, Chloe’s senses returned to her. She backed away from the door unsure of what else to do. Max nudged the door open and entered. She was tearful but mostly looked pissed. 

“Oh, hey Chlo.” She stopped to wipe her eyes. When Chloe didn’t respond she asked, “What’s wrong?”

Chloe couldn’t stop staring at her. She was so beautiful. Her eyes, her freckles, her lips. Max was everything. 

“Chloe, you’re scaring-“

Chloe closed the gap between them and placed her hands on Max’s shoulders and pulled Max to meet her lips. It was a little awkward and fumbling at first, but it became more incredible with each passing second. Warmth spread through her entire body. Max relaxed into the kiss, threw her crutches aside, and wrapped her arms around Chloe knowing she would provide all of the support she needed. In that moment, Chloe realized she was home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are we all feeling a bit better now? :)
> 
> In the next chapter, we will tie up loose ends. What's happening to David? What's happening to Joyce? How's Chloe doing? Will Max ever say "wowsers"? Find out next time!
> 
> You're all fantastic!! Thank you.


	17. Chapter 17

Max pulled away from Chloe, stunned. “Wow,” she said breathlessly. Chloe stared into Max’s glazed, half-lidded eyes. Reality gently knocked on the door of Chloe’s consciousness.  _ Hey, do you know what you just did? _ Chloe gulped and began to pry herself from Max’s grasp, careful to keep the injured girl steady enough to guide her to a chair. Chloe gestured at the chair closest to them to signal what she intended to do.

“S-sorry, I-”

“Nonononono,” Max said frantically before latching on to Chloe once more. She wrapped her arms around Chloe’s neck and pressed their bodies together as firmly as she could. Chloe’s breath caught in her throat. Max’s face was so close, and the urge to press her lips onto Max’s once more was almost too much to fight. 

“Why are you apologizing?” Max asked as she started playing with the tiny hairs on the nape of Chloe’s neck. Chloe shivered at the sensation; goosebumps spread across her entire body. 

Chloe’s voice came out as a whisper, “I...I didn’t even ask.”

Max smiled at Chloe and slowly pulled Chloe down to her face to close the gap between their lips. Chloe’s breathing hitched. Gently, Max pressed her lips to Chloe’s, and it took hardly any time for Chloe to relax into it. Max deepened the kiss considerably by parting her lips and softly coaxing Chloe’s mouth open with her tongue. Chloe welcomed it with enthusiasm. The new sensation made her body pulse.

Max scaled back the kiss and parted from Chloe once more. She gave Chloe a peck and said, “There. Now we’re even.” 

“‘Kay,” Chloe said stupidly, dazed. Max giggled and nuzzled her face into Chloe’s neck. 

* * *

“Are you ready?” Ryan asked. Chloe straightened the collar on the blouse she was wearing and flattened out the front. It was a blouse that Vanessa had picked out because she needed to “look nice” for her deposition. Chloe didn’t really understand the reason why as there would only be lawyers in the room, but she found it easier not to argue. 

Ryan was not surprised that David decided to go to trial. “What an idiot,” Chloe heard him mutter over a pile of paperwork one evening. Unfortunately, that meant Chloe and Max would have to testify. Ryan worked it out to where the two could be deposed rather than face David in court. He set up a meeting with a psychologist who advised the judge it would be necessary to have a deposition because both girls had suffered physical and psychological trauma that could affect their testimonies if he were present.  

“Yeah. I think so.”

“Remember, stay as calm as you can. His lawyer may ask a question that is meant to make you uncomfortable or upset. Try and answer the question, and if you can’t, let me know. Got it?”

Chloe nodded. 

“Stick to the facts, just like we practiced.”

“Yes, sir.” 

Max sat next to her in the hallway, fidgety and pale. When Chloe stood up, she grabbed her hand and said, “Good luck.”

Chloe gave her uneasy smile. Max wore a red, polka-dotted blouse made her hair and eyes absolutely radiant. Chloe squeezed her hand harder.  _ I’m so sorry you have to do this, too. _

Max stood, pulled her into a hug and whispered, “I know that look. Stop. Think about what we’re doing after this. We get to go home and watch a movie, and we can...” Chloe heard the smile in her voice. When Max released her, Chloe’s cheeks had turned redder than Max’s shirt. Max fixed Chloe’s collar again. “Don’t worry. Just a few more hours, and all we’ll have to do is wait. Day by day, hour by hour…”

“Minute by minute,” Chloe sighed. 

“Come on, Chloe. Let’s get this over with,” Ryan interrupted. 

Chloe quickly hugged Max and did as instructed. They walked into a room that desperately needed another color other than tan and left Max waiting outside. Ryan closed the door and told Chloe to take a seat across from two dapper, middle-aged men.

One of the men across the table cleared his throat. “Ms. Price, my name is James Amber, and I’m the prosecutor for the case against David N. Madsen.”

The other man across the table introduced himself. “Alexander Layton, attorney for Mr. Madsen.”

Mr. Amber spoke, “Do you have a thorough understanding of how this works?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Let’s begin.”

After being sworn in, Mr. Amber began his line of questioning. Chloe had to explain when she first met David in 2008, when he started being abusive, and what he did to her when he was abusive. She was asked if she ever tried to get help and what came of that. As the questions continued, they became more personal, and it began to agitate Chloe.  _ How many times will I have to repeat this?  _ She began chewing on her lip to keep her mouth shut. An angry outburst would not bode well for the case. 

When Chloe thought she couldn’t take it any longer, Mr. Amber declared he was finished. “Mr. Layton, your witness.”

Layton cleared his throat. “Ms. Price, have you ever used alcohol or recreational drugs?”

Chloe looked to Ryan, and he indicated she should answer the question. She rolled her eyes, “Yes.”

“What have you used and how often?” 

“I would smoke weed occasionally. A couple times a day. Not for a few months, though. Since I met Max.” She shrugged.  _ Big fuckin’ deal, asswipe. _

“Have you ever run away from home?”

“Yes. Once.”  _ I see what you’re doing, you filthy bastard. _

“When was that?” he asked, his voice dripping with condescension. 

“Halloween.”

“Why did you run away from home?”

“Because step-d... _ Mr. Madsen  _ dislocated my shoulder and smashed my head into a table.” Her fists clenched under the table.

“And why would he do that?”

“Objection! Speculation,” Mr. Amber interjected.

“Perhaps he has an unruly, deviant child living in his home. An unruly, deviant child trying to tarnish the name of an upstanding army veteran.”

Chloe went to say something, but was quickly stopped by Ryan. He shook his head lightly at her. Chloe relaxed back into her chair with a deep breath.

Layton continued, “Ms. Price, you testified that this has been going on for a few years. You stated that you told your mother and no one else.”

“Is there a question coming, Mr. Layton?” Mr. Amber asked.

“My  _ question  _ to you is, why now? What took you so long to seek help? If the abuse is as bad as you say, surely you would have tried to remove yourself from the situation.”

Chloe looked at her feet in complete disbelief. She tried to keep her voice level as she responded, “My own mother didn’t believe me, Mr. Layton. For a long time, I thought I was wrong, that maybe I deserved it, that no one would believe me. I didn’t have anywhere or anyone to turn to. Frankly, Mr. Layton, I was afraid. Afraid that a condescending asshat like yourself would gaslight me into thinking I was in the wrong. Why now? Because I finally have a person in my life that listens to me and cares about my wellbeing, unlike your client or my mother.”

When Chloe looked over to Ryan, he was covering his mouth to hide a smile. Mr. Amber smirked as well. 

“No further questions.”

* * *

Chloe slowly removed the bandage covering the wound on Max’s leg. Chloe insisted that she help Max with the process, and had been healing well under her care. Max didn’t put up much of a fight the first night they were home from the hospital and Chloe ordered her to sit on the futon. Maybe it wasn’t necessary, but it was easier to have Chloe do it, and she couldn’t deny that she loved the attention. 

“Lookin’ good, Maximus. I bet by this time next week we won’t be doing this anymore.”

Max sighed, “Well, that’s unfortunate.”

Chloe applied an antibiotic to the healing wound. “What do you mean? No more changing bandages, no more gross ointment, no more of my hovering.”

“Exactly!”

Chloe chuckled as she placed a new bandage on the wound and taped it up, “I don’t understand.” Chloe removed Max’s legs from her lap and went to wash her hands. 

Max swung her legs off the side of the futon. “To be honest, I kind of enjoy it. Twice a day we sit down, you fix me up, and we have a moment of calm when I have you all to myself for a few moments. It’s really nice.”

Chloe smirked and sat down next to Max. “We can still have that time. We can make a habit of it. Whatever you want.”

“Promise?”

“I promise,” Chloe smirked.

“How are you, by the way? Are you doing okay?”

Chloe shrugged, “Yeah.”

“Are you sleeping any better?”

“Not really, no.”

Max heard Chloe wake several times in the middle of the night. Sometimes she would yell out or even cry. It was like pulling teeth to get her to talk about them, though. Max grabbed Chloe’s hand. “Can I ask you another question?”

“Might as well,” Chloe chuckled. 

“Are we okay?” Max asked nervously.

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t we be?”

“Hmm. Sometimes I worry that I pushed you or this isn’t something you need right now.”

“What! No!”

“Yesterday, when we were in Kate’s dorm, you seemed really...on edge when she asked about us. You didn’t look at me for nearly an hour.”

Chloe blushed a bit. 

“I let it go because when we got home, you seemed okay and everything was normal. I want to make sure, though. You don’t owe me anything, remember? As much as I’d miss-”

“I’m sorry. It’s...It’s not you.”

“We can always be friends no matter what. I swear to you…” Max began to ramble.

“No! Let me finish.” With this, Max ceased her nervous rambling and let Chloe continue. “It’s not anything to do with you. Sometimes I get this overwhelming feeling of dread, and I feel like he’s watching me. I’m afraid that someone will tell him, that you’ll get hurt...more than I’ve already hurt you.”

“ _ You _ didn’t hurt me, Chloe.” Max’s grip tightened around Chloe’s hand.

“Sometimes I feel selfish and ashamed of myself. Having you is like...sneaking into the cookie jar while my parents are asleep.” 

Max tried hard not to giggle. 

“I’m serious,” Chloe said sternly. Max’s smile faded.

“It feels  _ so  _ good, unimaginably good, to spend time with you, cuddle with you...kiss you…” Max’s smile returned while Chloe’s blush grew darker. “Then I remember that’s not how I’m supposed to be. I know how fucked up that sounds. I don’t agree with it, but I catch myself thinking it sometimes.”

“Rarely are we ever who we’re  _ supposed  _ to be according to other people. How you already are is how you’re supposed to be. That’s bullshit, Chloe.”

“I know. I’m working on it.” 

Max smiled harder and scooted closer to Chloe to rest her head on Chloe’s shoulder. “Is there anything I can do to make it easier?” Max rubbed her cheek on Chloe’s shoulder.

“I don’t know, but everything about you makes it harder for me to think that way.”

Max removed her head from Chloe’s shoulder, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. “Well, that was smooth as hell.”

Chloe grinned back, “Yeah?”

“Definitely an improvement over the ‘your eyes are...blue’ incident.”

“HEY! I didn’t-“

Chloe never got to finish her sentence. Max pressed her lips onto Chloe’s making her melt. Max wrapped her hands around Chloe’s neck and pulled away from the kiss. “I’m...I’m gonna…” 

Max looked at Chloe with worry and then with determination. She used Chloe’s shoulders to balance herself as she stood up and placed her legs on either side of Chloe’s thighs. 

Before either of them had a chance to think about the intimacy of their position, Max placed her hands on Chloe’s neck once more to pull her forward into a passionate kiss. As their kiss deepened, Chloe hands began to wander. Shakily, she rubbed caressed Max’s thighs. When she did so, Max made a cute, high pitched squeal that forced her to break the kiss. 

“That tickled! You good?”

Breathlessly, Chloe responded, “Fuck yes,” and lunged forward to capture Max’s mouth once more. 

“Chloe, I have excellent news!” Ryan knocked rapidly on Max’s bedroom door. Chloe practically threw Max off of her lap. “Can I come in?”

Max adjusted her hair and shirt quickly before saying, “Yeah, dad.” She looked at Chloe with shock and panic before taming her expression into a smile. 

Chloe refused to make eye contact with Ryan as he entered. She felt her cheeks burning. “Is everything okay?” He looked between the two girls waiting for an explanation.  _ He fucking knows!! Oh my god he knows!  _

“Mmhmm!” Max said a little too enthusiastically. 

Ryan’s brow furrowed in disbelief. “Damn kids,” he muttered under his breath. “Chloe, your mother has decided to testify against Madsen.”

“Okay.” Chloe crossed her arms and continued avoiding eye contact. “Does she want a fuckin’ cookie?”

Ryan continued, “That’s really good news. If his case wasn’t already in the shitter, it is now.  _ And... _ she wants to see you, Chloe. I can take you if you’d like.”

“Fuck that.”

She felt Max’s hand caress her elbow. 

“Think about it. The option’s there.” Ryan headed out of the bedroom. The tension dissipated with each step he took away from the room. The girls looked at each other, and Max smirked. When he made it to the top of the stairs, he shouted down, “Oh, and girls?”

“Yeah, dad?” Max yelled in response. 

 “Tonight’s dinner discussion is,” he started a drum roll on the bannister, “SEPARATE BEDROOMS!” He cackled on his way to the kitchen. 

“I think I’ll go die now,” Max said as she buried her face in her palms. 

* * *

“Let’s go back. There’s no point.”

Max sighed, “I know you don’t want to, but I think this needs to happen. It might make you feel better.”

“I told myself for  _ years _ that she would fix things and make them right. In the time I gave her, all she did was make things worse. Why should I believe I won’t leave here feeling even more like a trash heap than I already do.” Chloe crossed her arms and rested her head against the car window. 

Max placed a hand on Chloe’s knee. Instinctually, Chloe started to pull away from Max’s touch but eased into the contact.  _ I’m gonna give her a complex if I don’t cut that shit out. Relax yourself.  _

She fought hard to keep from uttering an apology. Max firmly grasped Chloe’s thigh. “You’re not alone this time. You have me, my parents, our friends. I don’t expect that you’ll go in and all of your pain be washed away. I don’t blame you for not wanting to trust anything she said, but I think you should hear her out. Then at least you’ll know if you want to try and mend your relationship. You don’t ever have to forgive her.”

“Psssht. Fat chance of that.”

“And that’s okay. Give it a try. I’ll be right here. Whenever you want to leave, we can.”

“How about now?”

Max pushed Chloe’s knee away with a smirk. “Brat.”

Chloe smiled, leaned toward Max, and kissed her on the cheek. “If you insist.”

“I do,” she replied and returned Chloe’s affections by planting a kiss on her cheek with an exaggerated noise. “I’ll be right here.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”  
  


* * *

 

“Step through the metal detector please.” Chloe followed a line of other people visiting their inmate family members. She took a seat at an empty table and picked at a thread coming out of the hem of her shirt. She checked her visitor name tag for no reason.  _ Fuck, why am I so nervous? It’s a miracle I spelled my name right.  _

An alarm sounded as a heavy door swung open. A corrections officer led a group of women in orange jumpsuits. Joyce was toward the back of the group. Her blonde hair was up in an untidy ponytail. Chloe thought it was weird to see her in anything but her Two Whales uniform and without makeup. There were dark circles under her eyes.  _ Pathetic _ . 

Joyce spotted Chloe, and she gave a gentle smile, her eyes filled with tears. Chloe crossed her arms and looked away as Joyce approached. Chloe sensed Joyce had sat down across from her before Joyce said, “Hey, darlin’.”

Chloe was already pissed, “Hello,  _ mother.  _ Not that you deserve that title.”

Joyce sighed, “I...I understand why you’re upset.”

“Upset?! You think I’m upset? FUCK this!” Chloe stood up to leave. 

“No wait! Please! Please, let’s talk. Don’t leave. I’m sure you have things you need to say to me, and I want to explain.”

Chloe heaved an irritated sigh and threw herself down into her chair.  _ ForMaxForMaxForMaxForMax.  _ “Fine. Speak.” 

“I can’t even begin to describe how sorry I am for...for everything.”

The mother and daughter made eye contact for the first time since the night David dislocated Chloe’s arm. Tears were pouring from Joyce’s eyes. Chloe’s throat clenched and her eyes started to well up with tears.  _ Ugh, not now Chloe. Stuff them down.  _ Chloe took a deep breath. 

“Is that it?”

“I know it doesn’t scratch the surface, but-“

“No, Joyce, it fucking doesn’t. What do you want from me, huh? Why am I here? Did you expect me to hug you and tell you everything’s okay? That I love you? That I forgive you for all of the shit you put me through? I hate to break it to you, but you sure as fuck aren’t getting any of these things from me!”

“Of course not.”

“Then why?!” Chloe crossed her arms tightly across her chest. 

“Because!” Chloe was familiar with the tone. Joyce was about to lose it. “Because I wanted you to know that I  _ know.  _ I should have…” she choked back a sob, “No excuse I have is good enough. I was scared, I didn’t want to believe it, but you’re my child. I should have been stronger for you.” Joyce was hysterical. She grabbed some tissues from a box on the table. 

Chloe’s lip began to quiver, so she bit down on it.  _ What is this? Why am I buying it? Maybe there is some gene that automatically gives you empathy toward a family member. That must be it. Son of a bitch.  _ Chloe quickly wiped a rogue tear from her cheek. 

Chloe cleared her throat before she spoke. “How could you...just _ watch  _ him do that?”

“I’ve replayed it in my mind every night. Every interaction we’ve had, every time you pleaded with me to believe you...my mind was so twisted. I didn’t want that for you, Chloe. You deserve a much better life than the one I gave you.”

“It’s been so much better without you,” Chloe said bitterly. “He beat me. You know that. You probably don’t know that he kept me from eating, he kept me from using the bathroom, and he was a fucking pervert. Did you know that? He recorded me IN MY ROOM for years, Joyce.  _ Years!” _

Joyce cried harder. 

“I tried to tell you, but you never did a single fucking thing. You’re right, I don’t think you can ever give me a good reason. Now I know that I deserve to be safe and cared for. I have a person in my life now that has done more than you ever did.”

“Max Caulfield?”

“Yes.”

“David ranted about her every night. How he didn’t tolerate ‘faggots’.  I want you to know that is not what I believe. I’m glad you’re happy.”

“I didn’t need your approval.”

“I know.”

Joyce shifted in her chair. Chloe looked at her feet. 

“So you’re testifying against him?” Chloe asked. 

“Yes. It’s the only thing I can think of to make things right.”

“Good,” Chloe nodded. 

“I don’t know what’s gonna happen to me, but you’re always welcome to visit wherever I end up. If you want to talk about anything, or if you want to yell at me, I’ll happily sit here and take it. It’s all I can give you.”

“Okay.”

“TIME’S UP! GET IN LINE, INMATES!”

“That’s you,” Chloe said. The tears were demanding her attention now. 

“I love you, Chloe.”

With that, Joyce stood and made her way to the line. Chloe watched as she was ushered back to her prison. 

After getting signed out, Chloe ripped off the visitor badge and stormed into the parking lot. She let loose a horrific yell, and collapsed to the ground. She began pounding her fists into the concrete. 

“Baby! Baby, it’s okay. I’ve got you.”

Max wrapped her arms around Chloe’s sobbing form and let her cry. Max shooed away the police officers asking if they needed assistance. 

“It’s okay, baby,” Max whispered. 

* * *

Max parked her car in the Blackwell parking lot. They hadn’t been back since the incident.The girls looked at each other anxiously. They knew there was going to be talk; their friend group had already told them of all of the rumors flying around. As much as they had discussed it and what to do about it, they weren’t ready to deal with the bullshit.

“Let’s get this over with,” Max said as she exited the car. Chloe followed and met her around the back. Max put the strap of her messenger bag over her head and onto her shoulder. People were already craning their necks over their cars to get a look at them. Chloe’s jaw clenched.  _ I swear, if someone says one word, I’m punching them in the neck.  _

Chloe met Max’s eyes and held out her hand. “What?” Max asked.

“Take my hand. We’re in this together,” she said seriously, her brow furrowed.

Max beamed at her. “Are you sure?”

Chloe couldn’t help but smirk. “Yeah. Let’s do this, Maximus.”

Max gently placed her hand in Chloe’s, and Chloe squeezed gently.  _ I’ve got you. _

Slowly, they made their way to the front doors. They had to walk slower than normal because of Max’s limp, which they hoped would disappear eventually. People stared, people whispered, people pointed. Some looked on fearfully as Chloe scowled at them.  _ I will destroy every last one of you. Come at me. _

“Down, girl,” Max giggled. 

“What?!”

Max continued chuckling, “You’re so cute.”

“MAX! CHLOE!” Chloe’s vision became a blur of blonde hair. Arms wrapped around her midsection, threatening to suffocate her with their strength. 

“Hey, Kate,” Chloe choked.

“How are you? Are you okay? What’s been going on? Has anyone said anything to you? You let us know and we’ll tell them off!”

“Kate, slow down! Take a breath,” Max said. “We’re fine.” Kate let go of Chloe to hug Max.

“It’s great to see you.”

The three walked into the school, Chloe and Max hand in hand, and they updated Kate on what had happened over the past few weeks. Principal Wells stood outside his office, and nodded at the girls as they passed. Chloe spotted Nathan Prescott and Victoria. Victoria looked up to make eye contact with Chloe. Her expression was hard to read, but from what Chloe could tell, the girl looked kind of sad. Chloe gave her a warning look.  _ Say something, I dare you.  _ For the first time in years, the group didn’t say a single word to Chloe as she passed.

* * *

  
After a few class periods, everything seemed to calm down a bit. People were still glancing at them, but it wasn’t anything new. The weirdest thing for Chloe was being apart from Max. She tried to focus on the lectures, and she would for a few moments, but she would catch herself thinking about Max’s lips, her hair, what it felt like to touch her skin.

_ Am I...being a teenager? _

_ I wonder if she will be in the mood to… _

_ HEY, YOU PERV! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? PAY ATTENTION. _

After a long battle with her brain in math class, she went to her locker to drop off some books and grab others for the rest of the day. She felt a presence beside her. They placed their hand high on the locker next to hers and leaned in to say in a deep voice, “Hey, good lookin’.”

Chloe rounded on them. She had been primed for this all day. “Listen, asshole. Get the  _ fuck  _ back or I’ll beat the shit out of you.” She slammed her locker shut and turned to look at them, only to see Max with her hands up, eyes wide. 

“Damn, sorry.”

Chloe closed her eyes and slammed her head into her locker. “Oh shit! I’m so sorry. I don’t know what...I’ve been on edge all day.”

“You didn’t recognize my voice?”

“Well, you made it all deep, and I was-”

“Chloe, babe, it’s fine. I was just giving you a hard time. It’s okay!” Max placed her hands on Chloe’s waist and pulled her close. Chloe looked around nervously. “I’ve missed you a lot today. It’s weird being here.” 

Chloe gulped, still glancing around nervously. “Yeah, I agree. I-in math, I was having a hard time because I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

“You were, huh? That’s a problem that can’t be solved in math class, I’m afraid.”

Chloe snorted and shook her head. “God, you’re lame.”

“You love it. Anyways, I came over here because I wanted to pick up where we left off. The last time we were here at Blackwell, I was going to ask you on a date. I never got the chance to. Shit happened.”

“You...you were?”

“Mmhmm.” Max brought her face closer. “I know we live together and stuff, and you see me all the time, but...I’ve never gone on a date, and I really want to. You know, do the whole romantic thing. I would love to take you out and do something fun. Something normal.”

“O-okay. Sure! I mean, yeah. What did you have in mind?” Her closeness overwhelmed all of Chloe’s senses. Max could have asked her to do anything right now, and she wouldn’t dare refuse. 

“Let’s go to Portland.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! I'm adding another chapter. I had a lot more to say than I initially thought. Sorry for the long wait! You know. Things. 
> 
> In case you're wondering, Ryan is only partially kidding about separate bedrooms. I'm not going to write anything about it, but Chloe does get her own room in the Caulfield house. They want to show her she has a home there and that she belongs there. She can start a collection of her own things without feeling like a burden on Max's space! :)
> 
> Nothing less for our precious Chloe Price. 
> 
> Coming next, THE CHAPTER OF ULTRA FLUFF.


	18. Chapter 18

Validation: something we all want but hardly ever get. People have different opinions, ways of thinking, and life experiences, yet they are the ones that decide our fate. On December 16 th , 2011, Chloe Price received the validation she sought. A jury of 23 people found David Madsen guilty of an alarming number of crimes. When Ryan told Chloe the news, he explained the legal term for it was “royally fucked.”

The two sat alone at the dining room table. “They...they believed me?” Chloe asked Ryan in all seriousness. 

Ryan’s eyes widened, “Of course!”

“Sorry, it’s just weird. I never thought…”

“I know. I think everyone that has heard your story now realizes that these things aren’t cut and dry. We like to think they are, but they’re not. It happened, Chloe. Now everyone knows. They also know how strong and brave you are.”

“Oh, no, I’m not.”

“Spoken like a true hero. So, Miss Price,” he said clapping his hands together, “I think it’s time we celebrate the ending of this phase of your life. Where would you like to go for dinner tonight? Hero’s choice!”

Chloe was uncomfortable with the new title, but she looked up from her feet with a grin regardless. “I-I don’t know.”

“Come on, kid! Whatever you want.”

Chloe thought for a moment. She didn’t know many restaurants in town. She’d never been to any, so she didn’t have a favorite. “Can we order pizza and stay in? I’d like to have dinner here...with my family.”

“S-sure,” Ryan said with a smile, his eyes glossy. The two stood up, and Chloe headed back toward Max’s room. 

She had just made it to the steps when she heard Ryan say, “Vanessa! Our new child wants pizza!”

* * *

“Dude! You look fucking HOT!”

Chloe stood in front of the dressing room mirror turning from side to side.  _ Have I  _ always  _ had an ass? What the hell? _

“You have to get that outfit, dude. That’s the one,” Steph said from the couch at the other end of the room. She stood and came closer to do a proper inspection. “Just as I suspected, you were meant to have a leather jacket.” 

Chloe smirked, “I really like it.”

“Good, because you’re buying it. How do you feel about the tank-top?”

“Uuuumm, well, I like it, but it’s December.”

“Hmm, good point. I have an idea.” Steph raced out of the fitting room leaving Chloe alone with her thoughts.  _ I wonder if Max will like it. What does she find attractive anyways? I’ve never asked. Oh, fuck, I know nothing about my own girlfriend. I’m probably the worst girlfriend in the history of girlfriends! _

“Okay! Got it. Tank top, this over it, leather jacket. Cool?” Steph handed Chloe a black and red plaid flannel. Chloe took off the jacket to put it on and once again admired herself in the mirror. 

“Yes,” she said, beaming. 

“Great! Put on that jacket again.” Chloe did as instructed. “Now Chloe, I am about to bestow upon you a gift.” She had her hands behind her back. “This will surely make Max’s hipster heart swoon, and I’m pretty sure it’s required for at least one woman to have one in every lesbian couple.”

Chloe blushed,  _ Holy shit I’m gay. I’m a Lesbian™.  _

Steph laughed. “Jesus, Price, don’t have a stroke. I’m joking!”

“O-oh okay, haha…”

Steph continued to laugh as she pulled a navy blue beanie from behind her back. “For you and your stupid blonde head.” 

Chloe took the beanie and shoved it on the crown of her head. She didn’t think much of it off, but on…

“Hmm. I think it’s decided. I wear the beanie in this relationship!”

“HA! Nice one. Come on, let’s get out of here. We still gotta get you some perfume...no? Cologne? Cologne. Yeah.” Steph continued talking to herself as she walked away. 

Chloe stuttered in protest, “I c-can’t wear cologne! I’ve never worn it before. It’ll be too obvious! Plus, how do I know she’ll like it?”

Steph heaved a sigh, approached Chloe, and laid her hand on her shoulder. “Price...I have so much to teach you.”

* * *

Chloe shoved the beanie on her head and adjusted her short hair to perfectly frame her face, just like Steph had taught her. She looked into the bathroom mirror and took a deep breath.  _ Why am I so nervous, goddamnit. Max has been through literal hell with you. Chill. _

She crouched in front of the bathroom sink so she could look into the cabinet that held her toiletries. She pulled out the cologne Steph had picked out. She sprayed it in front of her and walked through the mist, coughing as she did so.  _ I hope this wasn’t a mistake.  _

With one final look in the mirror, she headed upstairs. She paced in front of the fireplace while she waited for Max to do whatever it was she was doing. 

“Has she really not told you where you’re going?” Ryan asked. 

“Nope. Portland. S’all I know.”

“Mmm,” Ryan hummed with a grin. 

Vanessa walked out of the kitchen with her usual glass of white wine. “You look nice, Chloe,” she said before smirking into her glass. 

Chloe felt her heart drop into her stomach. She didn’t know why she was out of breath.  _ Fuck! I can’t do this. Abort!  _ Her neurons sent a message to her legs to run, to head downstairs, and wash away all of the evidence that she had tried to dress up a bit for Max. 

The message was halted when Max entered the room causing Chloe to stumble. She had no choice but to look. Her outfit was simple yet stunning. Max did more to her in a tan button up, white blouse, and jeans than Deckard or Pris ever had. 

“Is everything okay?” Max asked only slightly concerned. 

It took Chloe a second to remember what she was doing. “Uh yeah I’m..stairs.” She made a walking motion with her pointer and middle finger. 

Ryan swooped in like the perfect wingman, “You look lovely, sweetie.” He bent down to give her a kiss on the cheek. 

“Thanks, dad,” she said warmly. 

“You’ll be home by midnight right?”

“Yes, dad. Promise.”

Ryan wiped a fake tear from his eye. “My daughters,” he sighed, “Going on their first date together. I’m so happy.”

“Ryan, can you never say that again, please?” Vanessa requested. “That was just weird.”

Ryan laughed. Max rolled her eyes and grabbed Chloe’s hand. As they walked down the steps she whispered, “Let’s go, quick, before this gets even more awkward.” She grabbed her jacket, messenger bag, and keys from the hall closet and darted out the door with Chloe in tow. 

“WE LOVE YOU! BE CAREFUL!” Ryan and Vanessa called after them. 

* * *

Max and Chloe got into their respective sides of the Subaru. Chloe faced forward and waited for Max to start the car and get going, but she didn’t. Chloe rubbed the back of her neck for something to do in the silence. Max’s eyes were on her, and she assumed it wasn’t for a good reason.  _ She’s changed her mind. She doesn’t want to go.  _

Chloe risked a glance at her to see what she was doing. Max was simply looking at her and smiling. “Hey,” she said. 

“Hi,” Chloe replied, rubbing her neck a bit harder to ease the anxiety. 

“You look amazing. That style fits you really well. You’re a punk princess!”

“T-thanks.” She looked down at her feet. “You, though! You look…” Chloe gestured at her with her hands, “Incredible.” 

“Thanks” Her smile widened, her eyes glistened. Chloe was mesmerized. 

“Beautiful,” she uttered, not realizing what she said until it was out of her mouth. Chloe’s face grew hot. 

Max finally turned the car on and backed out of the driveway. She put the car in gear, and they began their hour and a half drive to Portland. Once they were safely on the road, Max grabbed Chloe’s hand and rested them on the center console. 

* * *

 

Chloe felt her hand growing sweaty in Max’s but she didn’t want to let go. She kept her eyes forward, bobbing her head to whatever was on the radio, but all she could think about was how absolutely stunning Max looked and how badly she wanted to look at her. She stole a few glances here and there but tried to avoid staring.

“S-so what are we doing?” Chloe asked to break the silence.  _ If she’s talking to me, it’s not weird to look at her right?  _

“I have one thing in mind, but a few things are up to you,” Max replied, her smile widening.

“What’s up to me?” Chloe asked with barely contained excitement. 

“Where we eat, for one. Then we can shop around until it gets dark.”

Chloe smirked, “What happens when it’s dark?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out,” Max said with a mischievous grin, wiggling her eyebrows.

Chloe’s jaw dropped in surprise at the innuendo. She laughed nervously. “Fine, Caulfield, be mysterious,” Chloe said, returning the grin and squeezing Max’s hand. “Sorry, my palm is all sweaty.” She finally removed her hand from Max’s and wiped both of her hands on her jeans. 

“You nervous?” Max asked.

“Extremely.”

“Why, babe? It’s just me.”

The familiar rush that came with Max calling her “babe” made her breath catch in her throat and filled her with anticipation. She had yet to use a pet name for Max. It felt so unnatural coming out of her mouth, but Max was perfect and could call her whatever she wanted. The woman deserved her praise. She was not worthy.  _ Wow, you’re fucking whipped, Price. _

“B-because it’s you. And…”

Max raised her eyebrows and glanced Chloe’s way a couple of times while focusing on the road.

“And I have something planned for you, too. I’m worried you’ll...that you’ll think it’s really lame. S-steph said you’d love it, but it’s stupid. You deserve everything. The best.”

“Waitwaitwaitwait! You didn’t have to do that! I asked you out!” Max was yelling, but Chloe could tell she was curious and excited. 

“I know, but I need to. Can we make a stop on the way home?”

“Sure, Chlo, no problem.” Max grabbed her hand once more. “What is it we’re doing?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out.”

* * *

After parking the car safely in a garage, Max led Chloe onto the bustling streets of Portland. Chloe looked around nervously at people passing by feeling like they knew she wasn’t supposed to be there. Max kept a tight grip on her hand despite Chloe trying to drop it. 

Max leaned in to whisper in her ear. “It’s okay,” she said, “No one cares. And look!” She pointed to a couple across the street. Two men walked hand-in-hand without a care in the world, smiling and laughing. 

Chloe’s heart warmed at the sight. “They’re so...free,” she mumbled to Max. 

“As are we. No one is going to look at us or make fun of us here. The world doesn’t act like people in the Bay. I can’t wait to show you!”

Chloe’s shoulders relaxed, her grip tightened on Max’s hand. She took a deep breath and brought Max’s hand to her lips to leave a gentle kiss upon it. Chloe paid no attention to the people around them and felt absolutely no shame. She swung their hands between them as they continued to walk. 

Max’s cheeks tinged red, but she was smiling ear to ear. Chloe returned the smile. “You want to go places with me?”

“Of course. I think about it all the time!”

“Really?” 

“Yeah! Wherever you want,” Max declared. “We’ll do it all. We can drive around the country, take pictures, and you can continue being my personal bodyguard.”

“I guess I kinda have a track record at this point, huh?”

“Mmhmm,” Max giggled, “It’s something that I love about you. It’s when I see what really goes on in your head. I get to see the uninhibited, unrestrained Chloe, and she’s fucking awesome.”

Chloe’s eyes widened as her mind went completely blank. Max didn’t leave much time for her to respond anyway before she pulled her along toward a few of the shops. 

* * *

Once Chloe relaxed, she began to deeply enjoy the city. There was so much to look at: tall buildings, people, shops with anything you could imagine. Chloe stopped in front of a French bakery, and no matter how hard Max tried to pull her along, Chloe wouldn’t budge, captivated by the confections. 

“Well, I think we figured out where we’re eating,” Max said, trying to shake Chloe out of her trance. “Come on, let’s go in.”

“What! No, we can’t. It’s too expensive.”

Max was already at the door. “My treat! You know that. Come on.”

“Max, no way!” Chloe started backing away from the window, still looking at the treats on display.

“What, did you think I was gonna take you to McDonald’s? Come on!”

Pouting, Chloe followed Max into the shop. They sat together in the cafe and enjoyed soup and sandwiches. Max knew from all the groaning and carrying on that Chloe was in heaven. Max watched her as she ate with a knowing smile, acknowledging how far they’ve come together. A few short months ago, Chloe wouldn’t even eat in front of her. When Chloe finished her food, she looked so disappointed Max shoved her plate to Chloe. Chloe looked from Max to the plate guiltily. “Go ahead! I’m stuffed. Plus, gotta save room for dessert.” 

“We can have dessert?” Chloe asked as she slurped soup straight from the bowl.    
  
“Chlo, if you think their food is good, wait until you try their sweets. You can’t go to a French place without getting dessert! Plus, not even 30 minutes ago you were out there ogling the eclairs! Don’t even try to deny it! We’re getting some.”

Max purchased far more than they could ever eat, but Chloe showed some interest in trying one of everything, and Max couldn’t help herself. As the bakery attendant began boxing things up for them, Chloe was speechless. Blinking in amazement, she gestured to the display case and to Max. “W-what? Why?!”

“I’m spoiling you. Get used to it.” Max smirked at Chloe’s stunned face.

* * *

 

Chloe had eaten three treats before they even made it to the car to be dropped off. “Are they as good as they look?”

“UGH, they are even better. Thank you so much.”

“Of course! Okay, we’re gonna walk toward a destination, but if you want to go into a shop, we can. Cool?”

“Hell yeah! Lead the way, Maximus!”

They returned to the bustling streets of Portland. Chloe was starting to feel uncomfortably full.  _ Worth it. What the fuck ever.  _

Max had her hand but walked in front of her to navigate the crowded sidewalk.  _ Wow, Max has an ass, too. THE FUCK, STOP! Eyes forward. Stop being a creep. _

Chloe tried to keep the shame from her face. Max pulled them into a comic book shop much to Chloe’s delight. She wanted to search through the stacks, but she also wanted to text Steph. As Max was browsing, Chloe snuck off to a corner.

 

**Chloe:** Dude I can’t do this

**Steph:** PRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE

**Steph:** Why not? What’s wrong?

**Chloe:** I can’t stop staring at her. I’m a perv.

**Steph:** ?

**Chloe:** She looks amazing and I caught myself staring at her ass. I’m disgusting.

**Steph:** LOL

**Steph:** LOLOLOLOLOL

**Steph:** No you’re not dude. You’re fine. She’s your girlfriend, you should enjoy dat ass! Get back to your date. Everything is ready. I went up there just a little bit ago to check.

**Chloe:** I hate you

**Chloe:** Thanks

**Steph:** B)

 

“Find anything?” Max asked. Chloe grabbed the nearest comic and started flipping through it. Max placed her hands on Chloe’s waist and peeked around her.

She cleared her throat and said, “Yeah, just reading about Arm…”  _ Oh my god.  _ “Arm-Fall-Off-Boy.”

“Sounds...riveting,” Max said sarcastically.

_ You’re so smooth, Price, you idiot.  _ Her cheeks grew hot, but Max didn’t ask her anything else. The two browsed for a while longer and purchased a few, including the volume of  _ Legionnaires  _ featuring Arm-Fall-Off-Boy.

* * *

Chloe soon realized why they had to do their next activity in the dark. The couple approached a park filled with twinkling Christmas lights, and Chloe’s jaw dropped in awe. She had seen Christmas lights before, of course, but never at this level.  _ They could see this shit from space! _

“Wow!” she exclaimed.

“Just wait, you don’t know the half of it!”

They walked around the park hand-in-hand, mesmerized by the lights. There were hundreds of light sculptures placed throughout the park. The amount of power it must have taken and the amount of work to hang them or sculpt them was mind-boggling.  _ Dad would bitch about hanging a string of them on the house. This is just… _

Max would stop them to take pictures here and there. Chloe would always get out of the way of them, not wanting to ruin her pictures. Max tried to snap a couple of her, but Chloe always caught her before she was successful, much to Max’s regret.

“Do you want a hot chocolate?” Max asked, leading them toward a vendor’s cart.

“Yeah, sure.” Chloe felt like a child again. She could hardly focus on one thing and wanted to run off to see what was next. Max giggled at her. She was relieved that Chloe seemed to be enjoying this as much as she did. She kept an eye on Chloe while she purchased the hot chocolate, afraid she might lose her.

Chloe stayed put however, looking up at the trees overhead. The lights made it look like it was snowing. “You like them, huh?”

“Yeah this is so cool. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“We used to come here every year around Christmas time. It’s a very special childhood memory, I guess. I had a feeling you’d like it.” Chloe continued looking around in child-like wonder as Max led her to a bench. The two sat together and sipped their hot chocolate. 

“Why did you stop coming?”

“Who knows? I got older, parents got busy. You know, life goes on, things change.”

“Well we can make it an ‘us’ thing if you want.”

Max smiled warmly, “You’re so cute and sweet, and you’re completely oblivious to it.” Max rested her head on Chloe’s shoulder. After a few moments she nuzzled in closer. “Just to let you know, whatever the scent is you’re wearing...mmmm. Good luck trying to keep me off of you, that’s all I’m saying.”

Chloe gulped audibly; her insides screamed.

“Did I just say that out loud?”

“Yeah,” Chloe confirmed with another gulp.

Max put her hand to her mouth, her cheeks a fiery red.  _ The feeling is mutual, I guess. _

* * *

The drive home felt shorter than the trip there, probably because, at this point, Chloe’s anxiety was through the roof. She chewed on her lip while Max told a story from her childhood and hoped that everything was as her and Steph had left it. She hoped that she could get the words out when the time came.

“We stayed in a cabin on this  _ beautiful  _ lake. You stepped out the door, and it was right there. My dad taught me how to fish, and we went swimming every day. On the last day, though, I grabbed the wrong end of my mom’s curling iron when I was trying to move it off the sink. I tried to hide it all day long because I was afraid mom and dad would be mad at me.”

Chloe frowned and caressed Max’s hand sympathetically. “Were they?”

“No, of course not. Well, actually, my mom was pissed that I tried to hide it from them.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “You really can’t win with her, can you?”

“Not really. It’s always been like that. Damn it, I’m glad that we still have things to talk about, but I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make this about me and my problems.”

Chloe ignored the anger that began creeping into her mind. She tightened her grip on Max’s hand. 

“Where to, m’lady? We’re almost in the bay,” Max asked to change the subject.

Chloe huffed in annoyance, but she let it go for the moment. “The lighthouse. Have you ever been?”

“Hmm. No, surprisingly. I’ve taken a lot of pictures of it from the beach!”

“Sweet. I’m excited to show it to you, then,” Chloe said, “Take a right here.”

Max did as instructed and asked, “I love an adventure. What’s up there?”

“Other than the lighthouse, you mean?”

“Smartass,” Max giggled.

Chloe smiled, “Nothing. It’s my favorite place in the whole town.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. It reminds me of my dad.”

“Oh,” Max said. Chloe waited for it, but  _ the look _ never came. She’d never mentioned him to Max, but everyone knew what had happened to him. “Chlo...what was he like?

Surprised, Chloe sat up a bit straighter in her seat. “He was the best. He was tall, blonde. He was always smiling. He loved country music. Ryan reminds me of him sometimes. They would have been a nightmare together had they ever met. Dad jokes galore.” Max smiled softly and glanced at Chloe to make sure she was okay. 

“Okay, we have to park here and walk the rest of the way. I know it’s cold, sorry.”

“That’s okay. I have a perfectly good Chloe to keep me warm,” Max said with a wink.

After parking the car, the girls met in front of it, joined hands, and Chloe led the way up the hill. To Max’s surprise, Chloe continued talking about William unprompted. 

“He loved my mom. I’m sure they had their shit, but I hardly ever saw it. Everything was comfortable and…right. You know? Everything was okay, and then it all went to shit. He was always my favorite parent, I don’t really know why. My mother and I always butted heads.”

“I know what you mean,” Max empathized. 

“I wish you could have met him.”

“Me too.”

As they continued their trek, the wind became colder. Max closed the distance between them as much as she could without impeding their walking. 

“I know it’s cold. Just a bit father.” Chloe sniffed as her nose started to drip. 

Max was a bit frightened in the dark, but Chloe knew where she was going. She walked with practiced steps. As they approached, Max actually gasped at the view. She scolded herself for never taking the time to come up here. In front of the vast structure sat a single bench. 

_ Note to self: bring her here when we are not going to freeze our asses off,  _ Chloe thought with a smirk. 

“Wow,” Max said, exasperated. The wind whipped her hair around, but she seemed to have forgotten how cold she was.

“Right?”

Without another word, Max reached toward the latch on her bag. 

_ Yesss! I knew she would love it!! _

Max snapped picture after picture as quickly as her Polaroid would allow. It was dark, but the lights from the bay were all she needed apparently. 

“I’ll bring you when it’s light, too.”

“Huh?” 

“Nothing,” Chloe said with a smile.  _ I’ll let her have her time.  _

After a few more pictures, Max turned to Chloe, and before Chloe realized what was happening, Max took a photo of her, flash on. 

“Ah, Jesus, Max! My eyes!”

Max laughed, “I’m sorry! It’s long overdue. You’re the most important person in my life, and I don’t have a single picture of you!” 

Chloe’s entire body warmed.  _ What a brat. That was hella sweet, though. I’ll get you back Maxi, just you wait.  _ Chloe ambled forward. “Give me that photo, Smallfield!” Chloe gave chase, Max yelped and darted away. 

“Come back here!” Chloe tried to snag her, but Max was too quick. 

“Gonna have to do better than that, Price!”

They carried on this way until both of them were out of breath. 

_ Fuck, I’m still too full for this.  _ “Alright, okay, fine,” Chloe panted. “Truce?”

Skeptically, Max reached her hand out to Chloe. Once Chloe had her hand, she yanked Max into her body and began tickling her ribs. She had learned they were extra sensitive. 

“AAHH!” Max laughed hysterically. “BABE, LET ME GO! NO FAIR!” Chloe relentlessly continued her attack. “I CANT BREEEEEEATHE! I GIVE!!”

Chloe pulled Max into a hug, Max’s back pressed against her front. Max relaxed fully into her. “Can I see it?” she asked. 

Max held up the Polaroid for Chloe to see. “You look so beautiful. All of the time. You’re perfect, you know?”

“No, it’s you that’s perfect. Look at that! How did you even do that?”

“I have a perfect model.” Max turned her head so she could look at Chloe. They hadn’t kissed all night and she knew now would be a perfect time. She felt the pull, the charge in the atmosphere, but she didn’t want to quite yet. Max leaned in toward her, her eyes closing. 

“Max,” she whispered. 

“Hmm?” Max replied, dazed. 

“I gotta show you something.” Chloe held her tighter. 

Max opened her eyes all the way, but they were still glazed over. “Oh, okay.”

Chloe released Max, albeit reluctantly, knowing they could have kissed just then and gone home and everything would’ve been perfect. She needed to do this to show Max how much she meant to her. 

She led Max to the door of the light house. “We can go in?!” Max exclaimed. 

“No, but we are.” Chloe grinned and opened the door. The inside was illuminated by Christmas lights strung across sections of the spiral staircase. A wrapped present was placed in the center of the room. 

Max dropped Chloe’s hand and stared up at the ceiling in awe. “Wow! This is incredible! Did you do this?”

Chloe nodded. “Steph helped. My idea, though.” 

“What are you up to?” Max grabbed Chloe’s waist and pulled her close. It was getting more difficult to ignore the tension in the air that wanted so desperately to be broken. Max began to lean in once more…

“T-that gift’s for you.”

Max pulled back a bit, confused. “Okay. You want me to open it now?” Chloe nodded in response. Max walked to the center of the room and picked up the gift from the floor. “Hmmm, what could it be?”

Chloe put her hands in her pockets and rocked on her feet while Max ferociously tore at the wrapping paper. When Max realized what it was her smile fell, which Chloe didn’t expect. 

“Chlo...what is this?”

“It...it was my dad’s camera. He took it with him everywhere. It’s one of the only things I have left of him.”

“Baby, I can’t take this.”

“I want you to have it,” she said adamantly as she approached. “At least now I know it will be used awesomely.”

“Chloe…”

“I love you, Max.”

Max finally looked at Chloe, close to tears. 

“You’re the best person on this earth. I...I brought you here because I need you to know how important you are to me.” Chloe walked over to a boombox on the ground near the door. She pressed a couple of buttons, and when the music filled the room, Chloe approached Max with a shy smile. 

Max knew the song immediately. She shook her head and looked at the floor. “Is this some 80s romcom shit?!” She laughed, much to Chloe’s relief. 

 

**_Oh, my life is changing everyday_ **

**_In every possible way._ **

 

“Maybe,” Chloe said as she placed her shaking hands on Max’s waist and pulled her close. Max wrapped her arms around Chloe’s neck. They swayed together, enjoying the closeness. 

 

**_Now I open up and see_ **

**_The person falling here is me_ **

**_A different way to be_ **

 

Max rested her head on Chloe’s shoulder and took a deep breath. “You’re amazing, Chloe.” 

“Not as amazing as you,” she whispered into Max’s ear. “You go through your own shit, but you’ve taken on mine as well. I’m here for you, too, babe.”  _ Holy shit, I did it!   _ “For anything.”

She could feel Max trembling, so she held her tighter. Max’s hands traveled everywhere she knew she’d be allowed to touch. 

 

**_Now I tell you openly_ **

**_You have my heart so don’t hurt me_ **

**_You’re what I couldn’t find_ **

 

**_Totally amazing mind_ **

**_So understanding and so kind_ **

**_You’re everything to me._ **

 

Max lifted her head from Chloe’s shoulder. Chloe gulped upon seeing the intensity in Max’s eyes. Max reached her hand up to Chloe’s face and caressed her cheek. She drew a line down Chloe’s neck making her shiver. Her eyes shut of their own accord. 

Chloe jolted when she felt Max’s lips gently press onto her neck where her finger just left. Chloe’s entire body felt like it was pulsing. It felt so good she tilted her head to give Max more room. 

 

**_And oh, my dreams_ **

**_It’s never quite as it seems_ **

**_‘Cause you’re a dream to me_ **

**_Dream to me_ **

 

Both girls were out of breath for no reason except each other. Chloe knew there were words in her head, pinging around like a pinball searching for its home. When they finally came to her mouth, she hoped they would come out in the right order. “Max,” she whispered, breathlessly. “I’ll always love you.”

Desperately, Max pressed her lips onto Chloe’s. It may have been the hundredth ( _ or thousandth?)  _ kiss, but this one was different. This one was uninhibited, certain. 

Max’s grip tightened on Chloe’s leather jacket to hold Chloe in place.  _ Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.  _ Chloe deepened the kiss by placing her hand on the small of Max’s back. Max moaned now that she was fully pressed into Chloe. 

When they pulled apart to catch their breath, both girls had flushed cheeks and swollen lips. The world around them was blurry, the only thing in focus was each other. 

“I love you, too.” Max hugged Chloe tightly. After a few moments, she chuckled and said, “Who knew Chloe Price was such a romantic. I can’t believe you did all this for me.”

“I’d do anything for you.”

“I know. Will you...take a picture with me? I’ll use my new camera!” Max winked.

* * *

 

Chloe Price walked into her home, exhausted, elated, and in love. Here, she had a family that cared about her, a warm bed, and her best friend. Here, stepdouche could never harm her. As the two cuddled into each other after an incredible, unforgettable night, Chloe knew she was free, and Max was her sanctuary. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *THROWS CONFETTI*
> 
> After 9 months, this story has finally come to a close. Our Arcadia Babes are happy.
> 
> A HUGE thank you to Thanks_for_the_letters and Blackadder261, of course. Those guys have kept me sane(ish) and have saved the story from being trashed multiple times. They read through the worst and still stuck around. Thank you, dudes.
> 
> Thank you all for reading this and sticking with me for the journey. It has been an absolute pleasure sharing this with you. It was so fun reading all of your thoughts and seeing your excitement for each chapter. I will never get over how some of you even quote me...you quoted words (sometimes gibberish) THAT I WROTE! What are you doing?! You're amazing!
> 
> As I'm writing this, I'm already experiencing the panic of not having anything that I'm writing. However, I have several ideas, so gear up for more. I'll also be hanging around on Letters' and Adder's fics. Prepare yourself for quality content. 
> 
> In case you wanted to listen to it, the song Chloe plays for Max is called Dreams by The Cranberries. It's not a super slow song, but that should never stop you from slow dancing. 
> 
> Okay guys, I'll leave you with this. Rest assured that the Max and Chloe in this reality are okay, and their life together will be great. 
> 
> Thank you all again,  
> Lazer


End file.
